In a historic moment for the Zulu Kingdom and South Africa, King Misizulu and President Cyril Ramaphosa have officially unveiled the statue of the late King Shaka Zulu at King Shaka International Airport in Durban.

South Africa: Ramaphosa Unveils King Shaka's Statue In Durban

Israel has intensified its offensive in Lebanon, with early morning strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs leaving at least 40 dead and prompting warnings for residents to evacuate.

In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a sweeping ban on social media for children under 16, without exceptions for parental oversight.

In the US, Kamala Harris delivered a concession speech following Donald Trump's surprising victory, urging Americans to "roll up our sleeves" for the nation’s challenges. Trump's return to the presidency is also sending shockwaves through NATO, which is bracing for potential policy shifts on European security and US support for Ukraine.

Click on the headlines for more

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-asia-crisis-israel-intensifies-strikes-on-lebanon-at-least-40-killed-774165">West Asia crisis: Israel intensifies strikes on Lebanon, at least 40 killed</a>

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The Israeli military intensified its strike in Lebanon early Thursday (Nov 7) after four strikes targeted Beirut's southern suburbs. The Israeli army called residents of south Beirut to leave, including from a location near Lebanon's international airport.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-calls-time-on-social-media-to-ban-use-by-children-under-16-no-parental-exemptions-774183">Australia 'calls time' on social media, to ban use by children under 16: No parental exemptions</a>

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday (Nov 7) announced plans to legislate a ban on social media for children under 16. The ban touted as world-leading by the Australian government aims to curb the physical and mental health risks associated with social media use.
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-kamala-harris-said-in-concession-speech-while-trump-plans-first-100-days-in-white-house-774159">What Kamala Harris said in concession speech while Trump plans first 100 days in White House</a>

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“This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves," said US Vice President Kamala Harris in her concession speech to the nation on Wednesday (Nov 6) after Donald Trump's return to the White House.
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-win-nato-braces-for-shifts-towards-european-security-us-ukraine-policy-it-is-going-to-be-rough-774154">Trump's win: NATO braces for shifts towards European security, US-Ukraine policy: 'It is going to be rough'</a>

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On Tuesday (Nov 5), Donald Trump pulled off what was largely seen as an impossible win—a convicted felon will be the 47th President of the United States. Even as America comes to terms with the reality of his return to the White House, the world's largest peacetime military alliance, NATO, is also grappling with it, fearing the impact on European security and ongoing support for Ukraine.
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Watch | US Elections 2024: Dept Of Justice To Drop Federal Cases Against Donald Trump

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Israel has intensified its offensive in Lebanon, with early morning strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs leaving at least 40 dead and prompting warnings for residents to evacuate.

Israel has intensified its offensive in Lebanon, with early morning strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs leaving at least 40 dead and prompting warnings for residents to evacuate. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a sweeping ban on social media for children under 16, without exceptions for parental oversight. In the US, Kamala Harris delivered a concession speech following Donald Trump's surprising victory, urging Americans to "roll up our sleeves" for the nation’s challenges. Trump's return to the presidency is also sending shockwaves through NATO, which is bracing for potential policy shifts on European security and US support for Ukraine. Click on the headlines for more West Asia crisis: Israel intensifies strikes on Lebanon, at least 40 killed The Israeli military intensified its strike in Lebanon early Thursday (Nov 7) after four strikes targeted Beirut's southern suburbs. The Israeli army called residents of south Beirut to leave, including from a location near Lebanon's international airport. Australia 'calls time' on social media, to ban use by children under 16: No parental exemptions Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday (Nov 7) announced plans to legislate a ban on social media for children under 16. The ban touted as world-leading by the Australian government aims to curb the physical and mental health risks associated with social media use. What Kamala Harris said in concession speech while Trump plans first 100 days in White House “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves," said US Vice President Kamala Harris in her concession speech to the nation on Wednesday (Nov 6) after Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's win: NATO braces for shifts towards European security, US-Ukraine policy: 'It is going to be rough' On Tuesday (Nov 5), Donald Trump pulled off what was largely seen as an impossible win—a convicted felon will be the 47th President of the United States. Even as America comes to terms with the reality of his return to the White House, the world's largest peacetime military alliance, NATO, is also grappling with it, fearing the impact on European security and ongoing support for Ukraine. Watch | US Elections 2024: Dept Of Justice To Drop Federal Cases Against Donald Trump

Morning news brief: Kamala Harris' concession speech; West Asia crisis updates, and more

Israel has officially notified the United Nations that it was severing ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said the Israeli foreign ministry on Monday (Nov 4).

The nation, as per reports, said that it was cancelling the agreement that has regulated its relations with the UNRWA since 1967. The UN aid organisation has provided aid to Palestinian refugees since 1948.&nbsp;

This move follows a law passed by the Knesset recently, barring the agency from operating within Israel and banning Israeli officials from collaborating with it.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiNnem6ocKJAxUWxTgGHcWKC5sQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-parliament-bans-unrwa-claims-un-aid-agency-has-deep-connection-with-hamas-771490" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-parliament-bans-unrwa-claims-un-aid-agency-has-deep-connection-with-hamas-771490&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiNnem6ocKJAxUWxTgGHcWKC5sQxfQBKAB6BAgQEAE">Israeli parliament bans UNRWA, claims UN aid agency has 'deep connection' with Hamas</a>

<h2>Israel-UNRWA tensions</h2>

Israel has long opposed UNRWA's presence and claims that the agency perpetuates refugee status among Palestinians and fosters anti-Israel sentiment. Israel's discontent grew following the October 7 attacks, with Israeli officials claiming that Hamas had infiltrated UNRWA's Gaza operations and alleged that some staff members had been involved in the assault.

Danny Danon, the Israeli Ambassador to the UN in a statement said that despite Israel providing overwhelming evidence "we submitted to the UN highlighting how Hamas infiltrated UNRWA, the UN did nothing to address this reality".

<h2>Ban on UNRWA</h2>

The recent ban has triggered concern among UN leaders and Western allies, who fear that without UNRWA's operations, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza could intensify.&nbsp;

Israel's legislation does not directly stop UNRWA's work in the West Bank and Gaza, areas that remain under Israeli occupation, but it is expected to significantly hinder the agency's ability to work there.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-sends-troops-into-syria-detains-alleged-iranian-terror-network-operative-773042">Israel sends troops into Syria, detains alleged 'Iranian terror network operative'</a>

Even as groups and Israel's allies worry that ending cooperation with UNRWA may destabilise already fragile conditions Israel said that activity by other international organisations would be expanded. "Preparations will be made to end the connection with UNRWA and to boost alternatives to UNRWA," it said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel has officially notified the United Nations that it was severing ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said the Israeli foreign ministry on Monday (Nov 4).

Israel has officially notified the United Nations that it was severing ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said the Israeli foreign ministry on Monday (Nov 4). The nation, as per reports, said that it was cancelling the agreement that has regulated its relations with the UNRWA since 1967. The UN aid organisation has provided aid to Palestinian refugees since 1948. This move follows a law passed by the Knesset recently, barring the agency from operating within Israel and banning Israeli officials from collaborating with it. Also read | Israeli parliament bans UNRWA, claims UN aid agency has 'deep connection' with Hamas Israel-UNRWA tensions Israel has long opposed UNRWA's presence and claims that the agency perpetuates refugee status among Palestinians and fosters anti-Israel sentiment. Israel's discontent grew following the October 7 attacks, with Israeli officials claiming that Hamas had infiltrated UNRWA's Gaza operations and alleged that some staff members had been involved in the assault. Danny Danon, the Israeli Ambassador to the UN in a statement said that despite Israel providing overwhelming evidence "we submitted to the UN highlighting how Hamas infiltrated UNRWA, the UN did nothing to address this reality". Ban on UNRWA The recent ban has triggered concern among UN leaders and Western allies, who fear that without UNRWA's operations, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza could intensify. Israel's legislation does not directly stop UNRWA's work in the West Bank and Gaza, areas that remain under Israeli occupation, but it is expected to significantly hinder the agency's ability to work there. Also read | Israel sends troops into Syria, detains alleged 'Iranian terror network operative' Even as groups and Israel's allies worry that ending cooperation with UNRWA may destabilise already fragile conditions Israel said that activity by other international organisations would be expanded. "Preparations will be made to end the connection with UNRWA and to boost alternatives to UNRWA," it said. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel officially notifies UN of termination of relations with Palestinian relief agency UNRWA

Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan recently turned 59. He is one of the rare Indian stars whose achievement at the box office in 2023, had stunned cinemagoers. How did it all begin for Shah Rukh Khan? Find out more in this episode of WION.

Revisiting Shah Rukh Khan: The Actor, The Doctor and more

A campus anti-Semitism report, released on Thursday (Oct 31), has&nbsp;revealed that Columbia University paid nearly $400,000 in settlement to a Jewish student suspended for spraying a "fart spray" at an anti-Israel protest. The settlement is part of a broader examination by the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which has scrutinised campus responses to incidents following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.&nbsp;

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:101,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1791}">A 'chemical attack'?</h2>

The Columbia incident involved an anti-Israel activist claiming that the spraying incident was a "chemical attack" with "skunk spray," a substance used by Israeli Border Police to disperse protests. The protestors, as per the Times of Israel, also claimed that the alleged attackers were IDF veterans and that they suffered adverse health effects from the spray. This claim led to significant media attention and campus tension.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:88,&quot;y&quot;:228,&quot;w&quot;:520,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:121,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1918}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iranian-student-who-stripped-to-protest-harassment-is-arrested-reports-772880">Iranian student, who stripped to protest harassment, is arrested: Reports</a>

The student suspended after the incident sued Columbia in April claiming they were, in the words of the report, "excessively and disproportionately disciplined."

Columbia, as per the House report, also failed to acknowledge that the sprayed substance was merely a novelty "fart spray," not a harmful chemical agent even after seeing receipts for the spray's purchase from Amazon.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:7,&quot;y&quot;:362,&quot;w&quot;:813,&quot;h&quot;:25,&quot;abs_x&quot;:40,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2052}">A novelty item</h2>

The settlement details and corrective actions were part of the findings in the committee's 300-page report on campus anti-Semitism. It, as per the report, requires the university to put out a statement acknowledging that the substance was "a non-toxic, legal, novelty item that can be purchased online and in stores," and not a "biochemical weapon" or "illicit substance."

Columbia released a statement to that effect on Friday (Nov 1) evening before the Labour Day weekend.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-asia-crisis-israel-captures-senior-hezbollah-operative-in-north-lebanon-772872">West Asia crisis: Israel captures senior Hezbollah operative in North Lebanon</a>

The University's handling of the case, including its later public clarification and subsequent policy reviews, was highlighted as part of a call for consistent, fair campus policies on discrimination and harassment.

"While this conduct was inappropriate and a violation of University rules meriting discipline, it was also clearly a far less serious incident than characterised by anti-Israel activists or to the public," it said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A campus anti-Semitism report, released on Thursday (Oct 31), has revealed that Columbia University paid nearly $400,000 in settlement to a Jewish student suspended for spraying a "fart spray" at an anti-Israel protest.

A campus anti-Semitism report, released on Thursday (Oct 31), has revealed that Columbia University paid nearly $400,000 in settlement to a Jewish student suspended for spraying a "fart spray" at an anti-Israel protest. The settlement is part of a broader examination by the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which has scrutinised campus responses to incidents following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. A 'chemical attack'? The Columbia incident involved an anti-Israel activist claiming that the spraying incident was a "chemical attack" with "skunk spray," a substance used by Israeli Border Police to disperse protests. The protestors, as per the Times of Israel, also claimed that the alleged attackers were IDF veterans and that they suffered adverse health effects from the spray. This claim led to significant media attention and campus tension. Also read | Iranian student, who stripped to protest harassment, is arrested: Reports The student suspended after the incident sued Columbia in April claiming they were, in the words of the report, "excessively and disproportionately disciplined." Columbia, as per the House report, also failed to acknowledge that the sprayed substance was merely a novelty "fart spray," not a harmful chemical agent even after seeing receipts for the spray's purchase from Amazon. A novelty item The settlement details and corrective actions were part of the findings in the committee's 300-page report on campus anti-Semitism. It, as per the report, requires the university to put out a statement acknowledging that the substance was "a non-toxic, legal, novelty item that can be purchased online and in stores," and not a "biochemical weapon" or "illicit substance." Columbia released a statement to that effect on Friday (Nov 1) evening before the Labour Day weekend. Also read | West Asia crisis: Israel captures senior Hezbollah operative in North Lebanon The University's handling of the case, including its later public clarification and subsequent policy reviews, was highlighted as part of a call for consistent, fair campus policies on discrimination and harassment. "While this conduct was inappropriate and a violation of University rules meriting discipline, it was also clearly a far less serious incident than characterised by anti-Israel activists or to the public," it said. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel-Hamas war: 'Fart spray' ? Columbia University pays $400,000 settlement to Jewish student. Here's why

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has raised grave concerns, warning that without international intervention, Israel could engage in the "ethnic cleansing" of Gaza.

Guterres's warning comes amid escalating casualties in Gaza. Most recently, on Tuesday (Oct 29) a fatal strike in Beit Lahiya left 93 dead, including many children. This attack is one of several incidents classified by the UN as "mass casualty incidents" in Gaza in the past week.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/temporary-appointment-israels-explosive-message-to-hezbollahs-new-chief-qassem-772055">‘Temporary appointment,’ Israel’s explosive message to Hezbollah’s new chief Qassem</a>

The bombing in Beit Lahiya has drawn condemnation worldwide. The US described it as "horrifying," and France called for an end to Israel's siege of northern Gaza.

Adding to the crisis, humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza have reportedly hit an all-time low since the beginning of the conflict, stoking fears and allegations that the situation may be intended to drive Palestinians out of northern Gaza.

<h2>"Ethnic cleansing" already underway</h2>

Speaking to the Guardian on the sidelines of Colombia's COP16 biodiversity conference, the UN chief commended the Palestinians for their resilience and said that "ethnic cleansing" has been prevented this long because of the people's refusal to succumb.

"The intention might be for the Palestinians to leave Gaza, for others to occupy it," said Guterres.

"We will do everything possible to help them remain there and to avoid ethnic cleansing that might occur if there is not strong determination from the international community," he added.

However, just last week, Jordan's Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he believes "ethnic cleansing" was already underway. However, the Israeli military has denied allegations of systematically forcing Palestinians out of Gaza.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/idf-says-its-lebanon-operations-have-achieved-key-goals-diplomacy-now-possible-771697">IDF says its Lebanon operations have achieved key goals, diplomacy now possible: Report</a>

In Gaza, healthcare systems are on the verge of collapse, with only two partially functional hospitals remaining due to extreme shortages in staff, supplies, and fuel.

UN humanitarian affairs agency, OCHA, in a daily bulletin, said: "Only two … out of 20 health service points and two hospitals, Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda, remain functional, although partially, hampering the delivery of life-saving health services."

The agency's data indicates that 80 per cent of Gaza's population is currently without food rations: "Across the Gaza Strip, October has seen very limited food distribution due to severe supply shortages".

(With inputs from agencies)

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has raised grave concerns, warning that without international intervention, Israel could engage in the "ethnic cleansing" of Gaza.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has raised grave concerns, warning that without international intervention, Israel could engage in the "ethnic cleansing" of Gaza. Guterres's warning comes amid escalating casualties in Gaza. Most recently, on Tuesday (Oct 29) a fatal strike in Beit Lahiya left 93 dead, including many children. This attack is one of several incidents classified by the UN as "mass casualty incidents" in Gaza in the past week. Also read | ‘Temporary appointment,’ Israel’s explosive message to Hezbollah’s new chief Qassem The bombing in Beit Lahiya has drawn condemnation worldwide. The US described it as "horrifying," and France called for an end to Israel's siege of northern Gaza. Adding to the crisis, humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza have reportedly hit an all-time low since the beginning of the conflict, stoking fears and allegations that the situation may be intended to drive Palestinians out of northern Gaza. "Ethnic cleansing" already underway Speaking to the Guardian on the sidelines of Colombia's COP16 biodiversity conference, the UN chief commended the Palestinians for their resilience and said that "ethnic cleansing" has been prevented this long because of the people's refusal to succumb. "The intention might be for the Palestinians to leave Gaza, for others to occupy it," said Guterres. "We will do everything possible to help them remain there and to avoid ethnic cleansing that might occur if there is not strong determination from the international community," he added. However, just last week, Jordan's Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken that he believes "ethnic cleansing" was already underway. However, the Israeli military has denied allegations of systematically forcing Palestinians out of Gaza. Also read | IDF says its Lebanon operations have achieved key goals, diplomacy now possible: Report In Gaza, healthcare systems are on the verge of collapse, with only two partially functional hospitals remaining due to extreme shortages in staff, supplies, and fuel. UN humanitarian affairs agency, OCHA, in a daily bulletin, said: "Only two … out of 20 health service points and two hospitals, Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda, remain functional, although partially, hampering the delivery of life-saving health services." The agency's data indicates that 80 per cent of Gaza's population is currently without food rations: "Across the Gaza Strip, October has seen very limited food distribution due to severe supply shortages". (With inputs from agencies)

UN Chief António Guterres warns of potential 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza, calls for global intervention

Israel's UN ambassador, Danny Danon, on Wednesday (Oct 30) called for the resignation of UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, accusing her of promoting anti-Semitic rhetoric and undermining human rights.

This follows Albanese's remarks to a UN General Assembly committee, in which she claimed that developments in recent months "cement my assessment that Israel is conducting a genocidal campaign against the Palestinians."

<h2>Baseless propaganda</h2>

Danon, posting on X, criticised Albanese's comments as "baseless propaganda and lies," and argued that her position at the UN lends credibility to her allegedly "anti-semantic" views.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-chief-antonio-guterres-warns-of-potential-ethnic-cleansing-in-gaza-calls-for-global-intervention-772154"> UN Chief António Guterres warns of potential 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza, calls for global intervention</a>

"Once again, the UN has rolled out the red carpet for one of the most anti-Semitic figures in modern history, granting her a stage to spew baseless propaganda and lies," he wrote.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Once again, the UN has rolled out the red carpet for one of the most antisemitic figures in modern history, granting her a stage to spew baseless propaganda and lies. 
Not a word was said about the 101 hostages still suffering at the hands of Hamas. 
No mention of Hamas or… <a href="https://t.co/f3oiUUvoyA">pic.twitter.com/f3oiUUvoyA</a>
— Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) <a href="https://twitter.com/dannydanon/status/1851659975421985203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Slamming Albanese directly, he added, "Your presence at the UN is a disgrace, a betrayal of all moral standards. Resign immediately. Leave your credentials at the door and join your friends at Hamas and Hezbollah, where you belong."

<h2>Albanese defends herself</h2>

Albanese, who has faced accusations of bias from Israel and its allies for years, defended her comments in a press briefing on Wednesday, asserting that her focus was on protecting Palestinian rights and was not directed at Judaism or Israel’s right to exist.

"I really don't feel comfortable at entertaining any longer discussions concerning the attacks against me, because it's not about me, and I'm not the story," she said.

Stressing her impartial mandate, she stated: "The story is the fact that there are Palestinians who risk to be erased from their land."

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Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/idf-says-its-lebanon-operations-have-achieved-key-goals-diplomacy-now-possible-771697" target="_blank">IDF says its Lebanon operations have achieved key goals, diplomacy now possible: Report</a>
</div>

Albanese then called Israel's ally, the United States, an "enabler in what Israel has been doing."

Reacting to the statement, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield labelled Albanese "unfit" for the UN position and said: "The United Nations should not tolerate anti-Semitism from a UN-affiliated official hired to promote human rights".

Israel's UN mission in Geneva joined the criticism, saying Albanese's "distorted reality" reflects a personal bias, accusing her of being a "political activist who abuses an already discriminatory UN mandate".

"According to her hate-filled paradigm, the state of Israel has no historic reason to exist, no right to defend its population, and both the attack of October 7 and the rescue of hostages are merely used by Israel as an excuse."

"This distorted reality is a smokescreen to hide her hatred for Israel," it said.

"As a UN mandate holder, she has breached every possible rule of the UN code of conduct. She must immediately be held accountable for her continuous abuses," it added.

<h2>Why is Albanese under attack?</h2>

Albanese in her latest report, released on Tuesday (Oct 29) claimed that Israel's policies toward Palestinians constitute genocide aimed at displacement.

"The genocide of the Palestinians appears to be the means to an end: the complete removal or eradication of Palestinians from the land so integral to their identity, and which is illegally and openly coveted by Israel."

"Since its establishment, Israel has treated the occupied people as a hated encumbrance and threat to be eradicated, subjecting millions of Palestinians, for generations, to everyday indignities, mass killing, mass incarceration, forced displacement, racial segregation and apartheid," she wrote.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel's UN ambassador, Danny Danon, on Wednesday (Oct 30) called for the resignation of UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, accusing her of promoting anti-Semitic rhetoric and undermining human rights.

Israel's UN ambassador, Danny Danon, on Wednesday (Oct 30) called for the resignation of UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, accusing her of promoting anti-Semitic rhetoric and undermining human rights. This follows Albanese's remarks to a UN General Assembly committee, in which she claimed that developments in recent months "cement my assessment that Israel is conducting a genocidal campaign against the Palestinians." Baseless propaganda Danon, posting on X, criticised Albanese's comments as "baseless propaganda and lies," and argued that her position at the UN lends credibility to her allegedly "anti-semantic" views. Also read | UN Chief António Guterres warns of potential 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza, calls for global intervention "Once again, the UN has rolled out the red carpet for one of the most anti-Semitic figures in modern history, granting her a stage to spew baseless propaganda and lies," he wrote. Once again, the UN has rolled out the red carpet for one of the most antisemitic figures in modern history, granting her a stage to spew baseless propaganda and lies. Not a word was said about the 101 hostages still suffering at the hands of Hamas. No mention of Hamas or… pic.twitter.com/f3oiUUvoyA — Danny Danon 🇮🇱 דני דנון (@dannydanon) October 30, 2024 × Slamming Albanese directly, he added, "Your presence at the UN is a disgrace, a betrayal of all moral standards. Resign immediately. Leave your credentials at the door and join your friends at Hamas and Hezbollah, where you belong." Albanese defends herself Albanese, who has faced accusations of bias from Israel and its allies for years, defended her comments in a press briefing on Wednesday, asserting that her focus was on protecting Palestinian rights and was not directed at Judaism or Israel’s right to exist. "I really don't feel comfortable at entertaining any longer discussions concerning the attacks against me, because it's not about me, and I'm not the story," she said. Stressing her impartial mandate, she stated: "The story is the fact that there are Palestinians who risk to be erased from their land." Also read | IDF says its Lebanon operations have achieved key goals, diplomacy now possible: Report Albanese then called Israel's ally, the United States, an "enabler in what Israel has been doing." Reacting to the statement, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield labelled Albanese "unfit" for the UN position and said: "The United Nations should not tolerate anti-Semitism from a UN-affiliated official hired to promote human rights". Israel's UN mission in Geneva joined the criticism, saying Albanese's "distorted reality" reflects a personal bias, accusing her of being a "political activist who abuses an already discriminatory UN mandate". "According to her hate-filled paradigm, the state of Israel has no historic reason to exist, no right to defend its population, and both the attack of October 7 and the rescue of hostages are merely used by Israel as an excuse." "This distorted reality is a smokescreen to hide her hatred for Israel," it said. "As a UN mandate holder, she has breached every possible rule of the UN code of conduct. She must immediately be held accountable for her continuous abuses," it added. Why is Albanese under attack? Albanese in her latest report, released on Tuesday (Oct 29) claimed that Israel's policies toward Palestinians constitute genocide aimed at displacement. "The genocide of the Palestinians appears to be the means to an end: the complete removal or eradication of Palestinians from the land so integral to their identity, and which is illegally and openly coveted by Israel." "Since its establishment, Israel has treated the occupied people as a hated encumbrance and threat to be eradicated, subjecting millions of Palestinians, for generations, to everyday indignities, mass killing, mass incarceration, forced displacement, racial segregation and apartheid," she wrote. (With inputs from agencies)

Israel demands UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese's resignation over 'genocidal campaign' claims

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning, cautioning that Gaza may face "ethnic cleansing" at the hands of Israel if global intervention does not occur soon.

Meanwhile, Israel has called for UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese’s resignation following her claims of an Israeli "genocidal campaign".

In India, air quality in Delhi has dipped to "very poor" ahead of Diwali, raising concerns that firecracker use could push pollution into the "severe" category.

Finally, with US Election Day drawing closer, Donald Trump, in a pointed response to Joe Biden’s recent "garbage" comment, appeared at a Wisconsin rally riding a garbage truck and donning a garbage worker’s uniform.

Click on the headlines for more

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-chief-antonio-guterres-warns-of-potential-ethnic-cleansing-in-gaza-calls-for-global-intervention-772154">UN Chief António Guterres warns of potential 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza, calls for global intervention</a>

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres has raised grave concerns, warning that without international intervention, Israel could engage in the "ethnic cleansing" of Gaza.
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-demands-un-rapporteur-francesca-albaneses-resignation-over-genocidal-campaign-claims-772168">Israel demands UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese's resignation over 'genocidal campaign' claims</a>

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Israel's UN ambassador, Danny Danon, on Wednesday (Oct 30) called for the resignation of UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, accusing her of promoting anti-Semitic rhetoric and undermining human rights.
</div>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhis-air-quality-plunges-to-very-poor-ahead-of-diwali-will-firecrackers-push-it-to-severe-despite-ban-772163">Delhi’s air quality plunges to ‘very poor’ ahead of Diwali: Will firecrackers push it to ‘severe’ despite ban?</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/09/11/379022-wion-images-2023-09-11t180505897.png?imwidth=400" />

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Pollution levels in Delhi spiked on Wednesday (October 30), a day before Diwali, bringing air quality back into the “very poor” category, raising concerns of worsening pollution during the festival when&nbsp;firecrackers are burst to celebrate the festival.
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/you-are-not-garbage-trump-rides-garbage-truck-in-uniform-for-supports-at-rally-in-jibe-to-bidens-remarks-772162">'You are not garbage': Trump rides garbage truck in uniform for supports at rally in jibe to Biden's remarks</a>

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Just a day after US President Joe Biden called Donald Trump's supporters "garbage," the Republican presidential nominee arrived in a garbage truck wearing the uniform of a garbage picker at his Wisconsin rally on Wednesday (Oct 30).&nbsp;
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Watch | Madhya Pradesh: 7 Elephants Dead in Two Days

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning, cautioning that Gaza may face "ethnic cleansing" at the hands of Israel if global intervention does not occur soon.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning, cautioning that Gaza may face "ethnic cleansing" at the hands of Israel if global intervention does not occur soon. Meanwhile, Israel has called for UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese’s resignation following her claims of an Israeli "genocidal campaign". In India, air quality in Delhi has dipped to "very poor" ahead of Diwali, raising concerns that firecracker use could push pollution into the "severe" category. Finally, with US Election Day drawing closer, Donald Trump, in a pointed response to Joe Biden’s recent "garbage" comment, appeared at a Wisconsin rally riding a garbage truck and donning a garbage worker’s uniform. Click on the headlines for more UN Chief António Guterres warns of potential 'ethnic cleansing' in Gaza, calls for global intervention UN Secretary-General António Guterres has raised grave concerns, warning that without international intervention, Israel could engage in the "ethnic cleansing" of Gaza. Israel demands UN rapporteur Francesca Albanese's resignation over 'genocidal campaign' claims Israel's UN ambassador, Danny Danon, on Wednesday (Oct 30) called for the resignation of UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese, accusing her of promoting anti-Semitic rhetoric and undermining human rights. Delhi’s air quality plunges to ‘very poor’ ahead of Diwali: Will firecrackers push it to ‘severe’ despite ban? Pollution levels in Delhi spiked on Wednesday (October 30), a day before Diwali, bringing air quality back into the “very poor” category, raising concerns of worsening pollution during the festival when firecrackers are burst to celebrate the festival. 'You are not garbage': Trump rides garbage truck in uniform for supports at rally in jibe to Biden's remarks Just a day after US President Joe Biden called Donald Trump's supporters "garbage," the Republican presidential nominee arrived in a garbage truck wearing the uniform of a garbage picker at his Wisconsin rally on Wednesday (Oct 30). Watch | Madhya Pradesh: 7 Elephants Dead in Two Days

Morning news brief: Israel-Hamas war updates; Trump's garbage truck stunt, and more

The United States has delivered a firm warning to Israel regarding its humanitarian responsibilities in Gaza amid rising international concern.&nbsp;

As the 30-day deadline imposed by Washington looms, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, expressed alarm over the "catastrophic humanitarian crisis" in Gaza, stating that "Israel's words must be matched by action on the ground."

"Right now, that is not happening. This must change—immediately," she said.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:167,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2044}">US' deadline</h2>

On October 13, the US told Israel that it must take steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza within 30 days or risk losing US military aid, among other potential consequences.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:88,&quot;y&quot;:262,&quot;w&quot;:633,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:121,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2139}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-parliament-bans-unrwa-claims-un-aid-agency-has-deep-connection-with-hamas-771490">Israeli parliament bans UNRWA, claims UN aid agency has 'deep connection' with Hamas</a>

This demand coincides with Israel's recent legislative move to restrict operations of the UN Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA, which provides critical health and educational support to Palestinians. Israel's parliament has voted to prevent UNRWA from operating in areas like East Jerusalem and parts of Gaza and the West Bank, citing concerns over the agency's alleged ties to Hamas.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged immediate action to provide necessary aid such as food and medicine, especially to northern Gaza, and safeguard aid workers in the region.

"The US has stated clearly that Israel must allow food, medicine and other supplies into all of Gaza – especially the north, and especially as winter sets in—and protect the workers distributing it," she said.

Thomas-Greenfield added that the US had "real concerns" about the UNRWA ban passed by Israel's Knesset, and that there was no alternative to the organization for delivering aid to Gaza.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:531,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2408}">Norway concerned about UNRWA ban</h2>

The Scandinavian country&nbsp;has announced plans to petition the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to clarify Israel's obligations as an occupying power in supporting humanitarian aid. Norway's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, in a statement, said that his country was "requesting that the ICJ pronounces on Israel's obligations to facilitate humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population, delivered by international organisations, including the UN and states".

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:677,&quot;w&quot;:677,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2554}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/idf-says-its-lebanon-operations-have-achieved-key-goals-diplomacy-now-possible-771697">IDF says its Lebanon operations have achieved key goals, diplomacy now possible: Report</a>

Other European nations, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany, have also condemned the restrictions on UNRWA, with some officials considering potential sanctions or reviews of trade relations with Israel if the legislation takes effect.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called on Israel "to act consistently with its obligations" under the UN charter and international law, and stressed that "National legislation cannot alter those obligations."

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States has delivered a firm warning to Israel regarding its humanitarian responsibilities in Gaza amid rising international concern. As the 30-day deadline imposed by Washington looms, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, expressed alarm over the "catastrophic humanitarian crisis" in Gaza, stating that "Israel's words must be matched by action on the ground.

The United States has delivered a firm warning to Israel regarding its humanitarian responsibilities in Gaza amid rising international concern. As the 30-day deadline imposed by Washington looms, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, expressed alarm over the "catastrophic humanitarian crisis" in Gaza, stating that "Israel's words must be matched by action on the ground." "Right now, that is not happening. This must change—immediately," she said. US' deadline On October 13, the US told Israel that it must take steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza within 30 days or risk losing US military aid, among other potential consequences. Also read | Israeli parliament bans UNRWA, claims UN aid agency has 'deep connection' with Hamas This demand coincides with Israel's recent legislative move to restrict operations of the UN Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA, which provides critical health and educational support to Palestinians. Israel's parliament has voted to prevent UNRWA from operating in areas like East Jerusalem and parts of Gaza and the West Bank, citing concerns over the agency's alleged ties to Hamas. Linda Thomas-Greenfield urged immediate action to provide necessary aid such as food and medicine, especially to northern Gaza, and safeguard aid workers in the region. "The US has stated clearly that Israel must allow food, medicine and other supplies into all of Gaza – especially the north, and especially as winter sets in—and protect the workers distributing it," she said. Thomas-Greenfield added that the US had "real concerns" about the UNRWA ban passed by Israel's Knesset, and that there was no alternative to the organization for delivering aid to Gaza. Norway concerned about UNRWA ban The Scandinavian country has announced plans to petition the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to clarify Israel's obligations as an occupying power in supporting humanitarian aid. Norway's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, in a statement, said that his country was "requesting that the ICJ pronounces on Israel's obligations to facilitate humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population, delivered by international organisations, including the UN and states". Also read | IDF says its Lebanon operations have achieved key goals, diplomacy now possible: Report Other European nations, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany, have also condemned the restrictions on UNRWA, with some officials considering potential sanctions or reviews of trade relations with Israel if the legislation takes effect. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called on Israel "to act consistently with its obligations" under the UN charter and international law, and stressed that "National legislation cannot alter those obligations." (With inputs from agencies)

America's 30-day deadline looms: US presses Israel to address Gaza humanitarian crisis or risk losing aid

Israel's parliament on Monday (Oct 28) passed a bill effectively banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating within the country's borders and in occupied East Jerusalem, sparking widespread international backlash.&nbsp;

The move marks a major disruption for the agency, which has provided healthcare, education, and humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees for over seven decades.&nbsp;

It comes as Israeli lawmakers claim that the UN agency has a "deep connection" with the militant group Hamas.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:88,&quot;y&quot;:181,&quot;w&quot;:547,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:121,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1866}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-submits-750-page-genocide-evidence-against-israel-in-icj-case-771480">South Africa submits 750-page 'genocide' evidence against Israel in ICJ case</a>

Yuli Edelstein, one of the bill's sponsors, argued, "There is a deep connection between the terrorist organisation (Hamas) and UNRWA and Israel cannot put up with it."

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:267,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1952}">Hamas reacts to the ban</h2>

Slamming the ban, Palestinian militant group Hamas called the bill an act of "Zionist aggression" towards Palestinians. while&nbsp;Hamas ally Islamic Jihad said the ban was "an escalation in the genocide".

UNRWA chief, Philippe Lazzarini, calling it a continuation of "a campaign to discredit the agency," warned it "will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians".

Israel's international allies also voiced their concern. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK is "gravely concerned," while Germany cautioned that the measure would "effectively make UNRWA's work in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem impossible… jeopardising vital humanitarian aid for millions of people".&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-asia-crisis-netanyahu-claims-iran-amassing-nuclear-stockpile-hezbollah-fires-projectiles-into-israel-771466">West Asia crisis: Netanyahu claims Iran amassing nuclear 'stockpile'; Hezbollah fires projectiles into Israel</a>

However, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on social media assured that his country was "ready" to continue humanitarian aid in ways "that does not threaten Israel's security".

"UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable. Since avoiding a humanitarian crisis is also essential, sustained humanitarian aid must remain available in Gaza now and in the future," he wrote.

"In the 90 days before this legislation takes effect—and after—we stand ready to work with our international partners to ensure Israel continues to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not threaten Israel’s security,"&nbsp;Netanyahu added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Israel's parliament on Monday (Oct 28) passed a bill effectively banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating within the country's borders and in occupied East Jerusalem, sparking widespread international backlash.

Israel's parliament on Monday (Oct 28) passed a bill effectively banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating within the country's borders and in occupied East Jerusalem, sparking widespread international backlash. The move marks a major disruption for the agency, which has provided healthcare, education, and humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees for over seven decades. It comes as Israeli lawmakers claim that the UN agency has a "deep connection" with the militant group Hamas. Also read | South Africa submits 750-page 'genocide' evidence against Israel in ICJ case Yuli Edelstein, one of the bill's sponsors, argued, "There is a deep connection between the terrorist organisation (Hamas) and UNRWA and Israel cannot put up with it." Hamas reacts to the ban Slamming the ban, Palestinian militant group Hamas called the bill an act of "Zionist aggression" towards Palestinians. while Hamas ally Islamic Jihad said the ban was "an escalation in the genocide". UNRWA chief, Philippe Lazzarini, calling it a continuation of "a campaign to discredit the agency," warned it "will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians". Israel's international allies also voiced their concern. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK is "gravely concerned," while Germany cautioned that the measure would "effectively make UNRWA's work in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem impossible… jeopardising vital humanitarian aid for millions of people". Also read | West Asia crisis: Netanyahu claims Iran amassing nuclear 'stockpile'; Hezbollah fires projectiles into Israel However, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on social media assured that his country was "ready" to continue humanitarian aid in ways "that does not threaten Israel's security". "UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable. Since avoiding a humanitarian crisis is also essential, sustained humanitarian aid must remain available in Gaza now and in the future," he wrote. "In the 90 days before this legislation takes effect—and after—we stand ready to work with our international partners to ensure Israel continues to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not threaten Israel’s security," Netanyahu added. (With inputs from agencies)

Israeli parliament bans UNRWA, claims UN aid agency has 'deep connection' with Hamas

Early voting is underway in several States across the US. New York City's strong early voting turnout is part of a broader National pattern as millions of Americans cast their ballots ahead of election day. Susan Tehrani reports from New York listen to this report to get more insights!

US Election 2024: New York City Records Strong Early Voter Turnout

Xi Jinping may have a new military secretary suggests State footage that's been released this week. Lt. General Fang Yongxiang was part of a group accompanying the Chinese president during a visit to the country's Elite PLA rocket Force.

China's New Military Secretary: Lt. Gen Fang Yongxiang Seen With President Xi

Kamala Harris has pledged that she would hold Donald Trump accountable&nbsp;for his alleged offences when she wins the US elections in ten days.

In China, Lieutenant General Fang Yongxiang is reportedly the new military secretary. He was seen&nbsp;accompanying President Xi on a recent PLA inspection.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that Israel’s latest strike on Iran may conclude months of escalations, noting that only military targets were hit.

In Japan, voters are participating in a parliamentary election that could determine the future of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government.

Click on the headlines for more

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:47,&quot;w&quot;:673,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1734}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-harris-pledges-to-prosecute-trump-in-10-days-as-michelle-obama-voices-genuine-fear-771042">US Election: Harris pledges to 'prosecute' Trump 'in 10 days' as Michelle Obama voices 'genuine fear'</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/10/27/462761-new-wion-2024-10-27t083346859.png?imwidth=400" />

Kamala Harris, on Saturday (Oct 26) told voters she would prosecute her political rival Donald Trump "in 10 days".&nbsp;Addressing a cheering crowd in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Harris told her supporters that as a prosecutor she took on perpetrators of all kinds — predators, fraudsters, and repeat offenders, and vowed In 10 days, it was Donald Trump's turn.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-has-a-new-military-secretary-govt-footage-suggests-so-report-771045">China has a new military secretary? Govt footage suggests so: Report</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/10/27/462763-untitled-design.png?imwidth=400" />

If reports are to be believed, China has a new military secretary who was a part of President Xi Jinping's recent inspection visits to the units of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).&nbsp;

A report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Saturday (Oct 26) said that&nbsp;Lieutenant General Fang Yongxiang- the apparent military secretary- was part of the group accompanying President Xi during his visit to an unspecified brigade of PLA's rocket force last week.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:111,&quot;w&quot;:620,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1798}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-asia-crisis-biden-optimistic-israels-latest-iran-strike-is-the-end-to-months-of-escalations-771028">West Asia crisis: Biden optimistic Israel's latest Iran strike is 'the end' to months of escalations</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/10/27/462751-new-wion-2024-10-27t080118774.png?imwidth=400" />

US President Joe Biden on Saturday (Oct 26) expressed hope that Israel's recent strikes on Iran could mark "the end" of the months-long period of escalations. Speaking to reporters, he said,&nbsp;"It looks like they didn't hit anything other than military targets."

"I hope that this is the end," stated Biden, adding that Israel had given him a heads-up about the attack.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:144,&quot;w&quot;:524,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1831}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/parliamentary-election-in-japan-underway-voters-to-decide-fate-of-ishibas-govt-771039">Parliamentary election in Japan underway, voters to decide fate of Ishiba's govt</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/10/27/462760-untitled.png?imwidth=400" />

Voting for the parliamentary election in Japan began early Sunday (Oct 27). Voters will decide the fate of&nbsp;Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government in the election that is expected to punish&nbsp;his coalition over a funding scandal and inflation, potentially ending a decade of dominance for his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Watch |&nbsp;Georgia Elections: Counting 'Falsified', Says Opposition

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Kamala Harris has pledged that she would hold Donald Trump accountable for his alleged offences when she wins the US elections in ten days. In China, Lieutenant General Fang Yongxiang is reportedly the new military secretary.

Kamala Harris has pledged that she would hold Donald Trump accountable for his alleged offences when she wins the US elections in ten days. In China, Lieutenant General Fang Yongxiang is reportedly the new military secretary. He was seen accompanying President Xi on a recent PLA inspection. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has expressed hope that Israel’s latest strike on Iran may conclude months of escalations, noting that only military targets were hit. In Japan, voters are participating in a parliamentary election that could determine the future of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government. Click on the headlines for more US Election: Harris pledges to 'prosecute' Trump 'in 10 days' as Michelle Obama voices 'genuine fear' Kamala Harris, on Saturday (Oct 26) told voters she would prosecute her political rival Donald Trump "in 10 days". Addressing a cheering crowd in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Harris told her supporters that as a prosecutor she took on perpetrators of all kinds — predators, fraudsters, and repeat offenders, and vowed In 10 days, it was Donald Trump's turn. China has a new military secretary? Govt footage suggests so: Report If reports are to be believed, China has a new military secretary who was a part of President Xi Jinping's recent inspection visits to the units of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). A report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Saturday (Oct 26) said that Lieutenant General Fang Yongxiang- the apparent military secretary- was part of the group accompanying President Xi during his visit to an unspecified brigade of PLA's rocket force last week. West Asia crisis: Biden optimistic Israel's latest Iran strike is 'the end' to months of escalations US President Joe Biden on Saturday (Oct 26) expressed hope that Israel's recent strikes on Iran could mark "the end" of the months-long period of escalations. Speaking to reporters, he said, "It looks like they didn't hit anything other than military targets." "I hope that this is the end," stated Biden, adding that Israel had given him a heads-up about the attack. Parliamentary election in Japan underway, voters to decide fate of Ishiba's govt Voting for the parliamentary election in Japan began early Sunday (Oct 27). Voters will decide the fate of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government in the election that is expected to punish his coalition over a funding scandal and inflation, potentially ending a decade of dominance for his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Watch | Georgia Elections: Counting 'Falsified', Says Opposition

Morning news brief: US election updates; China's new military secretary, and more

Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, as per reports may have given his men the order to kill all Oct 7 Israeli hostages in the event of his death, warned Israel's leading hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin.

In a conversation with The Telegraph, Baskin — who in 2011 saw the release of Sinwar along with 1,026 other Palestinian prisoners in exchange for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shilat — warned "It is a moment of either opportunity or a moment of doom".

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:135,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1821}">'Opportunity or doom'</h2>

The hostage negotiator explained that Sinwar's death could be a "moment of doom," because there were "rumours that Sinwar instructed people holding hostages that, should he be killed, they should kill their hostages."

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:247,&quot;w&quot;:675,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1933}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-asia-crisis-israel-confirms-death-of-nasrallahs-heir-apparent-sayyed-hashem-safieddine-769875">West Asia crisis: Israel confirms death of Nasrallah's heir apparent Sayyed Hashem Safieddine</a>

Baskin said that while it was not possible to confirm or deny the rumour, it should be taken "seriously" given that the group had no qualms about executing six hostages. In late August, the six hostages were killed execution-style after the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) closed in on the tunnel where they were being held.

"We saw the six hostages killed when Israel was entering the tunnel. That could be the case now. We just don't know," he stated.

Sinwar was killed on Oct 16 (last week) and at the time of his elimination, Hamas still had 101 Israeli hostages in captivity. Of these, at least 60 are believed to still be alive.

After Sinwar's killing, the Hamas fighters, as per the report, are being led by his brother Muhammad, which further complicates the matter. &nbsp;

According to the hostage negotiator, this could also be a "moment of opportunity" for Israel.

The nation in the absence of Sinwar's leadership "should be issuing a very clear call that anyone who’s holding a hostage that releases them will be given free passage for themselves and their family out of Gaza to another country, as well as a lot of money."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hezbollah-takes-sole-responsibility-for-targeting-netanyahus-residence-says-there-would-be-no-negotiations-769842">Hezbollah takes ‘sole responsibility’ for targeting Netanyahu’s residence; says there would be no negotiations</a>

"In order to encourage them to do that, Israel should also be reaching out to Egypt and Qatar and tell them to renew the negotiations quickly, not on the deal that’s been negotiated without success for almost four months, but on a deal that would bring the hostages home quicker and would obviously require Israel to end the war."

However, he added that this "unfortunately," won't happen "unless president [Joe] Biden weighs in very heavily and makes sure that Netanyahu agrees to end the war, because, without that, Netanyahu won't end the war."

Baskin expressed his confidence that the US had the necessary "leverage" to force a ceasefire but added sceptically, "the question is if they're willing to use it".

(With inputs from agencies)

Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, as per reports may have given his men the order to kill all Oct 7 Israeli hostages in the event of his death, warned Israel's leading hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin.

Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, as per reports may have given his men the order to kill all Oct 7 Israeli hostages in the event of his death, warned Israel's leading hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin. In a conversation with The Telegraph, Baskin — who in 2011 saw the release of Sinwar along with 1,026 other Palestinian prisoners in exchange for kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shilat — warned "It is a moment of either opportunity or a moment of doom". 'Opportunity or doom' The hostage negotiator explained that Sinwar's death could be a "moment of doom," because there were "rumours that Sinwar instructed people holding hostages that, should he be killed, they should kill their hostages." Also read | West Asia crisis: Israel confirms death of Nasrallah's heir apparent Sayyed Hashem Safieddine Baskin said that while it was not possible to confirm or deny the rumour, it should be taken "seriously" given that the group had no qualms about executing six hostages. In late August, the six hostages were killed execution-style after the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) closed in on the tunnel where they were being held. "We saw the six hostages killed when Israel was entering the tunnel. That could be the case now. We just don't know," he stated. Sinwar was killed on Oct 16 (last week) and at the time of his elimination, Hamas still had 101 Israeli hostages in captivity. Of these, at least 60 are believed to still be alive. After Sinwar's killing, the Hamas fighters, as per the report, are being led by his brother Muhammad, which further complicates the matter. According to the hostage negotiator, this could also be a "moment of opportunity" for Israel. The nation in the absence of Sinwar's leadership "should be issuing a very clear call that anyone who’s holding a hostage that releases them will be given free passage for themselves and their family out of Gaza to another country, as well as a lot of money." Also read | Hezbollah takes ‘sole responsibility’ for targeting Netanyahu’s residence; says there would be no negotiations "In order to encourage them to do that, Israel should also be reaching out to Egypt and Qatar and tell them to renew the negotiations quickly, not on the deal that’s been negotiated without success for almost four months, but on a deal that would bring the hostages home quicker and would obviously require Israel to end the war." However, he added that this "unfortunately," won't happen "unless president [Joe] Biden weighs in very heavily and makes sure that Netanyahu agrees to end the war, because, without that, Netanyahu won't end the war." Baskin expressed his confidence that the US had the necessary "leverage" to force a ceasefire but added sceptically, "the question is if they're willing to use it". (With inputs from agencies)

Did Sinwar order Hamas to kill all hostages in case of his death? Israel's top hostage negotiator said this...

Israel has confirmed the death of Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, heir apparent to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Donald Trump's campaign has filed a complaint against the UK Labour Party, accusing it of foreign interference in the 2024 US elections, alleging they are campaigning for his opponent Kamala Harris.&nbsp;Meanwhile, President Joe Biden briefly called for Trump to be jailed during a campaign stop, but quickly backtracked.

In Georgia, the Supreme Court rejected a Republican appeal to reinstate last-minute election rules struck down by a lower court.

Click on the headlines for more

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:47,&quot;w&quot;:674,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1734}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-asia-crisis-israel-confirms-death-of-nasrallahs-heir-apparent-sayyed-hashem-safieddine-769875">West Asia crisis: Israel confirms death of Nasrallah's heir apparent Sayyed Hashem Safieddine</a>

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Israel on Tuesday (Oct 22) confirmed the killing of Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, the heir apparent to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The Israeli military in a statement said that Safieddine was killed three weeks ago in a strike in Beirut's southern neighbourhood. However, this is the first confirmation of his death, earlier the nation said that Nasrallah's successor has probably been eliminated.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:79,&quot;w&quot;:673,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1766}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-files-complaint-against-uk-labour-party-claims-blatant-foreign-interference-in-2024-us-elections-769885">Trump files complaint against UK Labour Party, claims 'blatant foreign interference' in 2024 US Elections</a>

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Donald Trump's campaign has lodged a formal complaint against the UK's Labour Party, accusing it of meddling in the upcoming US presidential election. The complaint, filed with the Federal Election Commission, claims that the British party has been recruiting members to campaign on behalf of Trump's political rival, Democratic Party presidential nominee, US Vice-President Kamala Harris, in key battleground states.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:129,&quot;w&quot;:631,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1816}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2024-biden-calls-for-trump-to-be-jailed-lock-him-uppolitically-769881">US elections 2024: Biden calls for Trump to be jailed, quickly backtracks. 'Lock him up...'</a>

<img alt="main img" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/10/23/461940-news-7.png?imwidth=400" />

Outgoing US President Joe Biden added to his long list of gaffes yet again on Tuesday when he called for Donald Trump to be locked up, quickly backtracking from his statement soon after. “If I said this five years ago, you’d lock me up: We gotta lock him up,” the 81-year-old said during a visit to a Democratic campaign office in Concord, New Hampshire.&nbsp;

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:161,&quot;w&quot;:628,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1848}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/georgia-supreme-court-rejects-republican-appeal-to-reinstate-last-minute-election-rules-769898">Georgia Supreme Court rejects Republican appeal to reinstate last-minute election rules</a>

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The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday (Oct 22) rejected an appeal by the Republican Party to reinstate controversial last-minute election rules that have been invalidated by a lower court.

Watch |&nbsp;Pakistan: Imran Khan's Party to Boycott Chief Justice Appointment Process

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Israel has confirmed the death of Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, heir apparent to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Donald Trump's campaign has filed a complaint against the UK Labour Party, accusing it of foreign interference in the 2024 US elections, alleging they are campaigning for his opponent Kamala Harris.

Israel has confirmed the death of Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, heir apparent to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Donald Trump's campaign has filed a complaint against the UK Labour Party, accusing it of foreign interference in the 2024 US elections, alleging they are campaigning for his opponent Kamala Harris. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden briefly called for Trump to be jailed during a campaign stop, but quickly backtracked. In Georgia, the Supreme Court rejected a Republican appeal to reinstate last-minute election rules struck down by a lower court. Click on the headlines for more West Asia crisis: Israel confirms death of Nasrallah's heir apparent Sayyed Hashem Safieddine Israel on Tuesday (Oct 22) confirmed the killing of Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, the heir apparent to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The Israeli military in a statement said that Safieddine was killed three weeks ago in a strike in Beirut's southern neighbourhood. However, this is the first confirmation of his death, earlier the nation said that Nasrallah's successor has probably been eliminated. Trump files complaint against UK Labour Party, claims 'blatant foreign interference' in 2024 US Elections Donald Trump's campaign has lodged a formal complaint against the UK's Labour Party, accusing it of meddling in the upcoming US presidential election. The complaint, filed with the Federal Election Commission, claims that the British party has been recruiting members to campaign on behalf of Trump's political rival, Democratic Party presidential nominee, US Vice-President Kamala Harris, in key battleground states. US elections 2024: Biden calls for Trump to be jailed, quickly backtracks. 'Lock him up...' Outgoing US President Joe Biden added to his long list of gaffes yet again on Tuesday when he called for Donald Trump to be locked up, quickly backtracking from his statement soon after. “If I said this five years ago, you’d lock me up: We gotta lock him up,” the 81-year-old said during a visit to a Democratic campaign office in Concord, New Hampshire. Georgia Supreme Court rejects Republican appeal to reinstate last-minute election rules The Georgia Supreme Court on Tuesday (Oct 22) rejected an appeal by the Republican Party to reinstate controversial last-minute election rules that have been invalidated by a lower court. Watch | Pakistan: Imran Khan's Party to Boycott Chief Justice Appointment Process

Morning news brief: Israel confirms killing of Hezbollah leader Safieddine; US Elections updates, and more

One of the&nbsp;senior-most Israeli army commanders has been killed in Northern Gaza, announced the Israel military on Sunday (Oct 20).

Colonel Ahsan Daksa, commander of the 401st Brigade, was killed in an explosion in northern Gaza during an operation targeting Hamas. Another battalion commander and two officers suffered minor injuries in the same attack.&nbsp;

The incident occurred in the Jabalia area, where the officers stepped outside "to observe the area and were struck by an explosive," said military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari in a briefing.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-strikes-on-northern-gaza-kills-at-least-87-as-beirut-attack-continues-769226">Israeli strikes on northern Gaza kill at least 87 as Beirut attack continues</a>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:185,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2022}">'A hero' killed while fighting terrorists</h2>

In a statement, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that Daksa was killed "while fighting Hamas terrorists".

Israel President Isaac Herzog said Daska was "a hero" and that his death was a "loss to Israel and for Israeli society".&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the Iran military, in an update on X, said that "Ehsan Daxa, the senior terrorist who commanded the 401st Brigade of the Zionist cult, has been neutralized by our Palestinian brothers while committing genocide in northern Gaza today."

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Ehsan Daxa, the senior terrorist who commanded the 401st Brigade of the Zionist cult, has been neutralized by our Palestinian brothers while committing genocide in northern Gaza today. <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:326,&quot;y&quot;:491,&quot;w&quot;:161,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:359,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2328}" href="https://t.co/5HTOelUZ1J">pic.twitter.com/5HTOelUZ1J</a>
— Iran Military (@IRIran_Military) <a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:440,&quot;y&quot;:519,&quot;w&quot;:100,&quot;h&quot;:14,&quot;abs_x&quot;:473,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2356}" href="https://twitter.com/IRIran_Military/status/1848052475254685879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Daksa, a Druze officer, had only been appointed as brigade commander four months prior and is considered one of the highest-ranking military officials to be killed in the ongoing Gaza conflict.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hezbollahs-senior-leader-naim-qassem-flees-lebanon-fearing-death-who-is-he-769283">Hezbollah’s senior leader Naim Qassem flees Lebanon fearing death. Who is he?</a>

His brigade was leading the assault in Jabalia, which has been the focus of intense Israeli military operations against Hamas militants. Since the ground offensive began on October 27, 2023, Israel has suffered 358 military casualties — including Daksa.&nbsp;

The death toll from the ongoing assault in Jabalia and northern Gaza exceeds 400 in the Hamas-run territory, according to local civil defense authorities, as Israeli forces continue to target Hamas positions.

(With inputs from agencies)

One of the senior-most Israeli army commanders has been killed in Northern Gaza, announced the Israel military on Sunday (Oct 20). Colonel Ahsan Daksa, commander of the 401st Brigade, was killed in an explosion in northern Gaza during an operation targeting Hamas.

One of the senior-most Israeli army commanders has been killed in Northern Gaza, announced the Israel military on Sunday (Oct 20). Colonel Ahsan Daksa, commander of the 401st Brigade, was killed in an explosion in northern Gaza during an operation targeting Hamas. Another battalion commander and two officers suffered minor injuries in the same attack. The incident occurred in the Jabalia area, where the officers stepped outside "to observe the area and were struck by an explosive," said military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari in a briefing. Also read | Israeli strikes on northern Gaza kill at least 87 as Beirut attack continues 'A hero' killed while fighting terrorists In a statement, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that Daksa was killed "while fighting Hamas terrorists". Israel President Isaac Herzog said Daska was "a hero" and that his death was a "loss to Israel and for Israeli society". Meanwhile, the Iran military, in an update on X, said that "Ehsan Daxa, the senior terrorist who commanded the 401st Brigade of the Zionist cult, has been neutralized by our Palestinian brothers while committing genocide in northern Gaza today." Ehsan Daxa, the senior terrorist who commanded the 401st Brigade of the Zionist cult, has been neutralized by our Palestinian brothers while committing genocide in northern Gaza today. pic.twitter.com/5HTOelUZ1J — Iran Military (@IRIran_Military) October 20, 2024 × Daksa, a Druze officer, had only been appointed as brigade commander four months prior and is considered one of the highest-ranking military officials to be killed in the ongoing Gaza conflict. Also read | Hezbollah’s senior leader Naim Qassem flees Lebanon fearing death. Who is he? His brigade was leading the assault in Jabalia, which has been the focus of intense Israeli military operations against Hamas militants. Since the ground offensive began on October 27, 2023, Israel has suffered 358 military casualties — including Daksa. The death toll from the ongoing assault in Jabalia and northern Gaza exceeds 400 in the Hamas-run territory, according to local civil defense authorities, as Israeli forces continue to target Hamas positions. (With inputs from agencies)

Top Israeli commander killed in Gaza blast, three others wounded in Hamas offensive

The United States on Saturday (Oct 19) called for Israel to scale back its strikes on Beirut, Lebanon, citing the rising civilian death toll as "far too high".&nbsp;

Just hours after Israel carried out heavy strikes on Hezbollah positions in the southern suburbs of the capital, sending plumes of smoke billowing over the city, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "We'd like to see Israel scale back on some of the strikes it's taking, especially in and around Beirut".

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:135,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1972}">'We'd like to see things transition': US</h2>

Speaking at a G7 defence meeting in Naples, Italy, Austin urged a shift towards negotiations to enable civilians on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border to return home safely.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:229,&quot;w&quot;:707,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2066}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-us-forces-directly-involved-pentagon-clarifies-role-in-hamas-leader-yahya-sinwars-death-769092">'No US&nbsp;forces directly involved': Pentagon clarifies role in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death</a>

"We'd like to see things transition to some sort of negotiation that will allow civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes," he said.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:332,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2169}">Attacks on UNIFIL</h2>

On Friday, the UN mission, known as UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon), said that in recent days, it had come under several "deliberate" attacks by Israeli forces.

Austin said that he has asked his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant about Israeli attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission's positions in Lebanon.

"He (Gallant) assured me there's no intent of him or his forces to target UNIFIL forces. Again, I continue to emphasise how important it is that those forces don't come under attack," said Austin.

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:526,&quot;w&quot;:692,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2363}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g7-meeting-defence-ministers-vows-unwavering-support-for-ukraine-shares-concern-over-lebanon-conflict-769057">G7 meeting: Defence ministers vows 'unwavering support' for Ukraine; share concern over Lebanon conflict</a>

This comes as America, Israel's strongest ally, has been urging Tehran to do more to safeguard civilians in Lebanon and Gaza. Last week, the US in a confidential letter from Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked Israeli officials to take concrete measures to address the worsening situation in Gaza within 30 days. The US reportedly warned Tehran that without concrete steps to address the situation, the warring nation could face potential restrictions on American military aid.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States on Saturday (Oct 19) called for Israel to scale back its strikes on Beirut, Lebanon, citing the rising civilian death toll as "far too high". Just hours after Israel carried out heavy strikes on Hezbollah positions in the southern suburbs of the capital, sending plumes of smoke billowing over the city, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "We'd like to see Israel scale back on some of the strikes it's taking, especially in and around Beirut".

The United States on Saturday (Oct 19) called for Israel to scale back its strikes on Beirut, Lebanon, citing the rising civilian death toll as "far too high". Just hours after Israel carried out heavy strikes on Hezbollah positions in the southern suburbs of the capital, sending plumes of smoke billowing over the city, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said: "We'd like to see Israel scale back on some of the strikes it's taking, especially in and around Beirut". 'We'd like to see things transition': US Speaking at a G7 defence meeting in Naples, Italy, Austin urged a shift towards negotiations to enable civilians on both sides of the Lebanon-Israel border to return home safely. Also read | 'No US forces directly involved': Pentagon clarifies role in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death "We'd like to see things transition to some sort of negotiation that will allow civilians on both sides of the border to return to their homes," he said. Attacks on UNIFIL On Friday, the UN mission, known as UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon), said that in recent days, it had come under several "deliberate" attacks by Israeli forces. Austin said that he has asked his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant about Israeli attacks on the UN peacekeeping mission's positions in Lebanon. "He (Gallant) assured me there's no intent of him or his forces to target UNIFIL forces. Again, I continue to emphasise how important it is that those forces don't come under attack," said Austin. Also read | G7 meeting: Defence ministers vows 'unwavering support' for Ukraine; share concern over Lebanon conflict This comes as America, Israel's strongest ally, has been urging Tehran to do more to safeguard civilians in Lebanon and Gaza. Last week, the US in a confidential letter from Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked Israeli officials to take concrete measures to address the worsening situation in Gaza within 30 days. The US reportedly warned Tehran that without concrete steps to address the situation, the warring nation could face potential restrictions on American military aid. (With inputs from agencies)

West Asia crisis: US pressures Israel to scale back attacks on Beirut, citing 'far too high' civilian toll

The US is investigating a leak of classified documents that revealed Israel's plans to attack Iran, according to reports.

In Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commander, has been sworn in as president after winning the election with a large majority.

The Pentagon has clarified that US forces were not directly involved in the Israeli operation that killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk has pledged to give away $1 million daily to Trump supporters in Pennsylvania as the 2024 US election battle intensifies.

Click on the headlines for more

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The Joe Biden-led United States (US) administration is investigating an unauthorised release of classified documents that assess Israel's plans to attack Iran, the news agency Associated Press reported on Sunday (Oct 20) citing three American officials.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:734,&quot;w&quot;:622,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2571}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-special-forces-commander-prabowo-subianto-sworn-in-as-indonesian-president-769085">Former special forces commander Prabowo Subianto sworn in as Indonesian president</a>

<img alt="main img" bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:767,&quot;w&quot;:640,&quot;h&quot;:353,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2604}" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/10/20/461238-untitled-design.png?imwidth=400" />

The 73-year-old former special forces commander,&nbsp;Prabowo Subianto,&nbsp;of Indonesia won the Feb&nbsp;14 contest with nearly 60% of the vote. He spent the past nine months building a formidable parliamentary coalition.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:1188,&quot;w&quot;:670,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:3025}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-us-forces-directly-involved-pentagon-clarifies-role-in-hamas-leader-yahya-sinwars-death-769092">'No US&nbsp;forces directly involved': Pentagon clarifies role in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death</a>

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Days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US military on Thursday (Oct 17) clarified that it had no direct involvement in the Israeli operation that resulted in the death of the militant group's leader.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:1660,&quot;w&quot;:705,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:3497}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/musk-pledges-1mn-daily-cash-giveaways-to-trump-supporters-as-2024-us-election-battle-heats-up-769071">Musk pledges $1mn daily cash giveaways to Trump supporters as 2024 US Election battle heats up</a>

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Elon Musk, Tesla CEO on Saturday (Oct 19) stepped up his efforts to garner votes for former US president Donald Trump and announced that he would randomly start donating $1 million in cash every day to registered voters in Pennsylvania.

Watch |&nbsp;Russia-Ukraine: After Giving Ultimatum to NATO Zelensky Now Says He Does Not Want Nuclear Weapons

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The US is investigating a leak of classified documents that revealed Israel's plans to attack Iran, according to reports. In Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commander, has been sworn in as president after winning the election with a large majority.

The US is investigating a leak of classified documents that revealed Israel's plans to attack Iran, according to reports. In Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commander, has been sworn in as president after winning the election with a large majority. The Pentagon has clarified that US forces were not directly involved in the Israeli operation that killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has pledged to give away $1 million daily to Trump supporters in Pennsylvania as the 2024 US election battle intensifies. Click on the headlines for more West Asia crisis: US investigating leaked classified documents on Israel's plans to attack Iran, says report The Joe Biden-led United States (US) administration is investigating an unauthorised release of classified documents that assess Israel's plans to attack Iran, the news agency Associated Press reported on Sunday (Oct 20) citing three American officials. Former special forces commander Prabowo Subianto sworn in as Indonesian president The 73-year-old former special forces commander, Prabowo Subianto, of Indonesia won the Feb 14 contest with nearly 60% of the vote. He spent the past nine months building a formidable parliamentary coalition. 'No US forces directly involved': Pentagon clarifies role in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death Days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US military on Thursday (Oct 17) clarified that it had no direct involvement in the Israeli operation that resulted in the death of the militant group's leader. Musk pledges $1mn daily cash giveaways to Trump supporters as 2024 US Election battle heats up Elon Musk, Tesla CEO on Saturday (Oct 19) stepped up his efforts to garner votes for former US president Donald Trump and announced that he would randomly start donating $1 million in cash every day to registered voters in Pennsylvania. Watch | Russia-Ukraine: After Giving Ultimatum to NATO Zelensky Now Says He Does Not Want Nuclear Weapons

Morning news brief: US probing leaked documents on Israel, US polls updates and more

Days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US military on Thursday (Oct 17) clarified that it had no direct involvement in the Israeli operation that resulted in the death of the militant group's leader.

However, the Pentagon revealed that American intelligence did play a supporting role.&nbsp;

Sinwar was killed in a firefight that ended with the Hamas leader cornered and alone in a destroyed building.

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:150,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:1836}">An Israeli operation</h2>

Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, emphasised that the mission was entirely an Israeli effort.

"This was an Israeli operation. There (were) no US&nbsp;forces directly involved," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiJ8aK-iJyJAxUYRmcHHUj6GV0QxfQBKAB6BAgKEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/troops-find-yahya-sinwars-letters-written-to-his-10-year-old-son-instilling-hatred-for-israel-report-768993" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/troops-find-yahya-sinwars-letters-written-to-his-10-year-old-son-instilling-hatred-for-israel-report-768993&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJ8aK-iJyJAxUYRmcHHUj6GV0QxfQBKAB6BAgKEAE">Troops find Yahya Sinwar's letters written to his 10-year-old son, instilling hatred for Israel: Report</a>

However, he acknowledged that US intelligence had contributed and said,&nbsp;"The United States has helped contribute information and intelligence as it relates to hostage recovery and the tracking and locating of Hamas leaders who have been responsible for holding hostages. And so certainly that contributes in general to the picture".

"But again, this was an Israeli operation. And I would refer you to them to talk about the details of how the operation went down," added the Pentagon spokesperson.

The Pentagon's clarification comes after US President Joe Biden, in a statement mentioned authorising US special operations and intelligence assistance to aid Israel's search for Sinwar and other militant leaders after the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:460,&quot;w&quot;:715,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2146}" data-ved="2ahUKEwiJ8aK-iJyJAxUYRmcHHUj6GV0QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-yahya-sinwar-the-butcher-of-khan-younis-israel-says-it-may-have-killed-768472" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-yahya-sinwar-the-butcher-of-khan-younis-israel-says-it-may-have-killed-768472&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJ8aK-iJyJAxUYRmcHHUj6GV0QxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">Who was Yahya Sinwar? The ‘Butcher of Khan Younis’ Israeli forces killed after year-long pursuit</a>

<h2 bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:514,&quot;w&quot;:723,&quot;h&quot;:26,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2200}">Who was Yahya Sinwar?</h2>

Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar as per Israel was the mastermind behind the Oct 7 attack.

Born in Khan Younis in 1962, Sinwar was seen as one of the&nbsp;uncompromising top officials of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. In the early 1980s, Sinwar was repeatedly arrested by Israel because of his involvement in anti-occupation activism held at the Islamic University in Gaza.

"The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who is responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers," said Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, in a statement on Thursday.

The IDF&nbsp;released a statement saying,&nbsp;"Yahya Sinwar was eliminated after hiding for the past year behind the civilian population of Gaza, both above and below ground in Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US military on Thursday (Oct 17) clarified that it had no direct involvement in the Israeli operation that resulted in the death of the militant group's leader.

Days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israeli troops in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the US military on Thursday (Oct 17) clarified that it had no direct involvement in the Israeli operation that resulted in the death of the militant group's leader. However, the Pentagon revealed that American intelligence did play a supporting role. Sinwar was killed in a firefight that ended with the Hamas leader cornered and alone in a destroyed building. An Israeli operation Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, emphasised that the mission was entirely an Israeli effort. "This was an Israeli operation. There (were) no US forces directly involved," he said. Also read | Troops find Yahya Sinwar's letters written to his 10-year-old son, instilling hatred for Israel: Report However, he acknowledged that US intelligence had contributed and said, "The United States has helped contribute information and intelligence as it relates to hostage recovery and the tracking and locating of Hamas leaders who have been responsible for holding hostages. And so certainly that contributes in general to the picture". "But again, this was an Israeli operation. And I would refer you to them to talk about the details of how the operation went down," added the Pentagon spokesperson. The Pentagon's clarification comes after US President Joe Biden, in a statement mentioned authorising US special operations and intelligence assistance to aid Israel's search for Sinwar and other militant leaders after the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023. Also read | Who was Yahya Sinwar? The ‘Butcher of Khan Younis’ Israeli forces killed after year-long pursuit Who was Yahya Sinwar? Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar as per Israel was the mastermind behind the Oct 7 attack. Born in Khan Younis in 1962, Sinwar was seen as one of the uncompromising top officials of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. In the early 1980s, Sinwar was repeatedly arrested by Israel because of his involvement in anti-occupation activism held at the Islamic University in Gaza. "The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who is responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers," said Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, in a statement on Thursday. The IDF released a statement saying, "Yahya Sinwar was eliminated after hiding for the past year behind the civilian population of Gaza, both above and below ground in Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip." (With inputs from agencies)

'No US forces directly involved': Pentagon clarifies role in Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death

Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, on Thursday (Oct 17) confirmed that Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar was killed in an Israeli operation in Gaza. Katz issued the confirmation in a message to dozens of foreign ministers around the world.&nbsp;

Sinwar was killed alongside two other Hamas militants by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducting an operation in one of the buildings in Gaza.

“The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who is responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers,” said Katz in the message, according to his office.

“This is a great military and moral achievement for Israel and a victory for the entire free world against the evil axis of radical Islam led by Iran,” he added.&nbsp;

Katz added that the killing “creates a possibility” for getting the hostages out immediately and for creating a Gaza free of Hamas and Iranian control.

“Israel needs your support and assistance now more than ever to advance these important goals together,” the minister added.

The IDF followed suit and posted a three-word message to confirm Sinwar's death.&nbsp;

"Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar," wrote IDF.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the joint statement by the IDF and Shin Bet, over the last few weeks,&nbsp;the 162nd Division and Gaza Division had been operating in Gaza in areas&nbsp;where intelligence indicated that&nbsp;senior Hamas officials were hiding.

A force from the 828th Bislamach Brigade killed three terrorists, and one of them was identified today as Sinwar.

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Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1846957737487278263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"A year ago, on the holiday of Sukkot, Yahya Sinwar orchestrated the horrific October 7th Massacre in which more than 1,200 Israeli men, women and children were butchered.&nbsp; Today, one year later, he was eliminated by Israeli forces," wrote the official state handle of Israel.&nbsp;

"Justice has been delivered. Every single terrorist who harms Israelis will pay the price," it added.&nbsp;

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A year ago on the holiday of Sukkot, Yahya Sinwar orchestrated the horrific October 7th Massacre in which more than 1,200 Israeli men, women and children were butchered. 
 
𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐢 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬.… <a href="https://t.co/lCvdkwjkGC">pic.twitter.com/lCvdkwjkGC</a>
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) <a href="https://twitter.com/Israel/status/1846957459857895441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The IDF&nbsp;released a statement saying,&nbsp;"Yahya Sinwar was eliminated after hiding for the past year behind the civilian population of Gaza, both above and below ground in Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip."&nbsp;

Israel's President Isaac Herzog commended&nbsp;Israeli forces for killing the Hamas chief, saying Sinwar was "responsible for heinous acts of terrorism against Israeli civilians, citizens of other countries, and the murder of thousands of innocent people".

"His evil endeavours were dedicated to terror, bloodshed, and destabilizing the Middle East.

"Now, more than ever, we must act in every way possible to bring back the 101 hostages who are still being held in horrific conditions by Hamas terrorists in Gaza," he said in a post on X.

<h2>IDF will continue to operate in Gaza</h2>

National Unity chief and former war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said Sinwar's death was an "important achievement" but it did not signal the end of the war. He added that the IDF “will continue to operate in the Gaza Strip for years to come”.&nbsp;

“On this day, we must also remember the painful price of the war — all the murdered and the fallen who have been working for over a year on all fronts to ensure this never happens again," he added.&nbsp;

<h2>Who is Sinwar?</h2>

Born in Khan Younis in 1962, Sinwar was seen as one of the&nbsp;uncompromising top officials of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. In the early 1980s, Sinwar was repeatedly arrested by Israel because of his involvement in anti-occupation activism held at the Islamic University in Gaza.

Alongside now-killed Mohammed Deif, the head of Qassam Brigades, Sinwar planned the October 7 attacks and took over the militant outfit after Ismail Haniyeh was allegedly assassinated by Tel Aviv.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, on Thursday (Oct 17) confirmed that Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar was killed in an Israeli operation in Gaza. Katz issued the confirmation in a message to dozens of foreign ministers around the world.

Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, on Thursday (Oct 17) confirmed that Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar was killed in an Israeli operation in Gaza. Katz issued the confirmation in a message to dozens of foreign ministers around the world. Sinwar was killed alongside two other Hamas militants by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducting an operation in one of the buildings in Gaza. “The mass murderer Yahya Sinwar, who is responsible for the massacre and atrocities of October 7, was killed today by IDF soldiers,” said Katz in the message, according to his office. “This is a great military and moral achievement for Israel and a victory for the entire free world against the evil axis of radical Islam led by Iran,” he added. Katz added that the killing “creates a possibility” for getting the hostages out immediately and for creating a Gaza free of Hamas and Iranian control. “Israel needs your support and assistance now more than ever to advance these important goals together,” the minister added. The IDF followed suit and posted a three-word message to confirm Sinwar's death. "Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar," wrote IDF. According to the joint statement by the IDF and Shin Bet, over the last few weeks, the 162nd Division and Gaza Division had been operating in Gaza in areas where intelligence indicated that senior Hamas officials were hiding. A force from the 828th Bislamach Brigade killed three terrorists, and one of them was identified today as Sinwar. Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar. — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 17, 2024 × "A year ago, on the holiday of Sukkot, Yahya Sinwar orchestrated the horrific October 7th Massacre in which more than 1,200 Israeli men, women and children were butchered. Today, one year later, he was eliminated by Israeli forces," wrote the official state handle of Israel. "Justice has been delivered. Every single terrorist who harms Israelis will pay the price," it added. A year ago on the holiday of Sukkot, Yahya Sinwar orchestrated the horrific October 7th Massacre in which more than 1,200 Israeli men, women and children were butchered. 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥𝐢 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬.… pic.twitter.com/lCvdkwjkGC — Israel ישראל (@Israel) October 17, 2024 × The IDF released a statement saying, "Yahya Sinwar was eliminated after hiding for the past year behind the civilian population of Gaza, both above and below ground in Hamas tunnels in the Gaza Strip." Israel's President Isaac Herzog commended Israeli forces for killing the Hamas chief, saying Sinwar was "responsible for heinous acts of terrorism against Israeli civilians, citizens of other countries, and the murder of thousands of innocent people". "His evil endeavours were dedicated to terror, bloodshed, and destabilizing the Middle East. "Now, more than ever, we must act in every way possible to bring back the 101 hostages who are still being held in horrific conditions by Hamas terrorists in Gaza," he said in a post on X. IDF will continue to operate in Gaza National Unity chief and former war cabinet minister Benny Gantz said Sinwar's death was an "important achievement" but it did not signal the end of the war. He added that the IDF “will continue to operate in the Gaza Strip for years to come”. “On this day, we must also remember the painful price of the war — all the murdered and the fallen who have been working for over a year on all fronts to ensure this never happens again," he added. Who is Sinwar? Born in Khan Younis in 1962, Sinwar was seen as one of the uncompromising top officials of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. In the early 1980s, Sinwar was repeatedly arrested by Israel because of his involvement in anti-occupation activism held at the Islamic University in Gaza. Alongside now-killed Mohammed Deif, the head of Qassam Brigades, Sinwar planned the October 7 attacks and took over the militant outfit after Ismail Haniyeh was allegedly assassinated by Tel Aviv. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

‘Mass murderer’ and ‘Oct 7 attacks architect’ Yahya Sinwar killed by IDF, confirms Israel

In response to the recent spate of&nbsp;hoax bomb threats targeting various flights, including Indian airlines,&nbsp;Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu&nbsp;said that necessary actions were being taken and ruled out any larger conspiracy behind these events.

"Action is being taken on this. We can't comment on any kind of a conspiracy but from whatever little bit we know these calls are coming from some&nbsp;minors&nbsp;and&nbsp;pranksters. These are all minor and isolated incidents. There is no kind of conspiracy that we can comment on. From our side, we are going to see what best we can do. We are talking to the airlines, security agencies, within the ministry also. Consultations are going on," Ram Mohan Naidu said.&nbsp;

Stating that such "mischievous and unlawful" actions are a matter of grave concern, the minister strongly condemned "attempts to compromise the safety, security and operational integrity of the aviation section".&nbsp;

"I am deeply concerned over the recent disruptive acts targeting Indian airlines, affecting domestic and international operations. Such mischievous and unlawful actions are a matter of grave concern, and I strongly condemn any attempts to compromise the safety, security, and operational integrity of our aviation sector," read a statement on the MoCA website.&nbsp;

Naidu chaired a high-level committee on Monday (Oct 14), stating that he is monitoring the situation regularly, and the law enforcement agencies are pursuing all the cases actively, the union minister said in the letter.&nbsp;

"In response, I chaired a high-level committee on October 14, comprising officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation," the letter said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bomb-threats-disrupt-7-indian-flights-prompt-emergency-landings-767822">Watch | Bomb Threats Disrupt 7 Indian Flights, Prompt Emergency Landings</a>

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In the letter, Naidu also informed that the Mumbai Police have apprehended a minor responsible for issuing bomb threats to three flights, and added that all others responsible for the disruptions will be identified and duly prosecuted.&nbsp;

"I am monitoring the situation regularly, and our law enforcement agencies are pursuing all the cases actively. Mumbai Police&nbsp;arrested a minor responsible for issuing bomb threats targeting three flights. All others responsible for the disruptions will be identified and duly prosecuted," the minister said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the&nbsp;Delhi&nbsp;Police informed that an FIR has been registered under sections 217 and 351(4) of the BNS, as well as section 3(1)(d) of The Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982, in connection with the recent&nbsp;hoax bomb threat&nbsp;concerning&nbsp;Akasa Air flight. A detailed investigation is currently underway

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/minor-arrested-in-connection-to-hoax-bomb-threats-to-indian-airlines-768041">Also read |&nbsp;Teenager detained in connection to hoax bomb threats to Indian carriers</a>

Additionally, after coordination with the concerned social media platform, all accounts responsible for spreading these false threats have been suspended to prevent further misuse and ensure public safety, the police added.&nbsp;

Earlier, an&nbsp;Akasa Air flight&nbsp;bound for&nbsp;Bengaluru&nbsp;from&nbsp;Delhi&nbsp;received a bomb threat on Wednesday, adding to a series of such threats received by multiple airlines in the past two days.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

In response to the recent spate of hoax bomb threats targeting various flights, including Indian airlines, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that necessary actions were being taken and ruled out any larger conspiracy behind these events.

In response to the recent spate of hoax bomb threats targeting various flights, including Indian airlines, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that necessary actions were being taken and ruled out any larger conspiracy behind these events. "Action is being taken on this. We can't comment on any kind of a conspiracy but from whatever little bit we know these calls are coming from some minors and pranksters. These are all minor and isolated incidents. There is no kind of conspiracy that we can comment on. From our side, we are going to see what best we can do. We are talking to the airlines, security agencies, within the ministry also. Consultations are going on," Ram Mohan Naidu said. Stating that such "mischievous and unlawful" actions are a matter of grave concern, the minister strongly condemned "attempts to compromise the safety, security and operational integrity of the aviation section". "I am deeply concerned over the recent disruptive acts targeting Indian airlines, affecting domestic and international operations. Such mischievous and unlawful actions are a matter of grave concern, and I strongly condemn any attempts to compromise the safety, security, and operational integrity of our aviation sector," read a statement on the MoCA website. Naidu chaired a high-level committee on Monday (Oct 14), stating that he is monitoring the situation regularly, and the law enforcement agencies are pursuing all the cases actively, the union minister said in the letter. "In response, I chaired a high-level committee on October 14, comprising officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation," the letter said. Watch | Bomb Threats Disrupt 7 Indian Flights, Prompt Emergency Landings × In the letter, Naidu also informed that the Mumbai Police have apprehended a minor responsible for issuing bomb threats to three flights, and added that all others responsible for the disruptions will be identified and duly prosecuted. "I am monitoring the situation regularly, and our law enforcement agencies are pursuing all the cases actively. Mumbai Police arrested a minor responsible for issuing bomb threats targeting three flights. All others responsible for the disruptions will be identified and duly prosecuted," the minister said. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police informed that an FIR has been registered under sections 217 and 351(4) of the BNS, as well as section 3(1)(d) of The Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982, in connection with the recent hoax bomb threat concerning Akasa Air flight. A detailed investigation is currently underway Also read | Teenager detained in connection to hoax bomb threats to Indian carriers Additionally, after coordination with the concerned social media platform, all accounts responsible for spreading these false threats have been suspended to prevent further misuse and ensure public safety, the police added. Earlier, an Akasa Air flight bound for Bengaluru from Delhi received a bomb threat on Wednesday, adding to a series of such threats received by multiple airlines in the past two days. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Minors and pranksters making hoax bomb threats to flights, says Indian aviation minister

As the dust settles over Pakistan hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) head of government meeting, it is clear in the Indian subcontinent that the group is all about India-Pakistan engagement. To understand SCO, a group that was formed in 2001, one needs to understand its protocols and the group.&nbsp; 
 
SCO has 10 members, India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Iran, Belarus and the four central Asian countries viz., Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In 2017&nbsp;the group expanded to include India and Pakistan. Since then, two expansions have taken place to include Iran and Belarus.

Each member of the grouping gets to chair the summit, which involves the head of state (HoS), and the head of government (HoG) which is basically at the prime minister's level. Whoever hosts the HoS summit is the chair of the grouping for that year and hosts all major events associated with SCO that year, which includes foreign ministers, defence ministers, and security officials. India was the chair of SCO last year and hosted the summit and other related meetings, virtually.

The events included the foreign ministers' meeting as well, which saw then-Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto travelling to Goa. His visit naturally dominated the foreign minister meeting, since he decided to host an ill-conceived presser involving just the Pakistani media and mentioned Kashmir. India's response was strong, and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar's presser was a visible manifestation of seething anger.

The ghost of Goa was buried with the "courteous" actions of Jaishankar, as described by himself ahead of the visit. A few days ahead of his visit, the EAM&nbsp;said that he was going to Islamabad in a multilateral context and not to discuss India and Pakistan.&nbsp;

"Since I'm a courteous, civil person, I will behave myself accordingly."

Two public handshakes, one national statement, one tree planting and one morning walk all that in the almost 24-hour-long visit.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sco-summit-in-pakistan-767979">Watch |&nbsp;SCO Summit in Pakistan</a>

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Pakistani media and officials have been in full flurry of sending feelers that Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Jati Umra are on the same page on talks with India. Cricket is seen as low-hanging fruit by them, though it has been dismissed by the Indian side that resumption of cricket ties is not on the cards. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday (Oct 17) said: "Nothing of that sort happened...also the reports were not accurate.”

As the hullabaloo over the visit dies down, the point is clear, New Delhi's policy of "talks and terror" can't go together, continues. The policy that came into being after Pathankot (2016) and the Pulwama terror attack (2019), has seen a decreased engagement with Pakistan in all spheres – political, entertainment and sports. After India removed special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan cut down further engagement, by expelling an Indian envoy, cutting rail, road, and bus linkages and stopping trade to almost nil barring pharma.

Pakistan will continue to harp on Kashmir, as seen ahead of Indian EAM’s visit by comments made by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Islamabad cannot let go of Kashmir rhetoric, simply because the political rhetoric in the country is tied to it. The country won't be able to do anything much about&nbsp;it, other than making comments that serve the "establishment".&nbsp;&nbsp;

Even Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who once found it quite fashionable to mention Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), has now moved on to matters he deems more pressing. When even your allies start to ignore the script, it's time to consider one might be performing in an empty house.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/sco-roundup-india-opposes-chinas-obor-jaishankar-schools-pakistan-and-more-768020">Also read |&nbsp;SCO roundup: India opposes China's OBOR, Jaishankar schools Pakistan, and more</a>

Today, New Delhi has no interest, incentive or stakeholdership in talking to Pakistan. The country has been supportive of anti-India elements, and terror groups like JeM, LeT, and tiredness remains over the conversational quagmire with Islamabad. 70 years is a long time, and for India's next generation, they look upon Pakistan not with the burdened eyes of history but with the indifference of those who have moved on. No stakes, no baggage – just another dot on the map.

Coke Studio Pakistan may be popular for many while going to work in Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bengaluru but it is only there till the playlist changes to the next new song. For many Indians today, Pakistan is just another country, a country with which India has a negative past and an uncertain future.

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.

As the dust settles over Pakistan hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) head of government meeting, it is clear in the Indian subcontinent that the group is all about India-Pakistan engagement.

As the dust settles over Pakistan hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) head of government meeting, it is clear in the Indian subcontinent that the group is all about India-Pakistan engagement. To understand SCO, a group that was formed in 2001, one needs to understand its protocols and the group. SCO has 10 members, India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Iran, Belarus and the four central Asian countries viz., Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In 2017 the group expanded to include India and Pakistan. Since then, two expansions have taken place to include Iran and Belarus. Each member of the grouping gets to chair the summit, which involves the head of state (HoS), and the head of government (HoG) which is basically at the prime minister's level. Whoever hosts the HoS summit is the chair of the grouping for that year and hosts all major events associated with SCO that year, which includes foreign ministers, defence ministers, and security officials. India was the chair of SCO last year and hosted the summit and other related meetings, virtually. The events included the foreign ministers' meeting as well, which saw then-Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto travelling to Goa. His visit naturally dominated the foreign minister meeting, since he decided to host an ill-conceived presser involving just the Pakistani media and mentioned Kashmir. India's response was strong, and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar's presser was a visible manifestation of seething anger. The ghost of Goa was buried with the "courteous" actions of Jaishankar, as described by himself ahead of the visit. A few days ahead of his visit, the EAM said that he was going to Islamabad in a multilateral context and not to discuss India and Pakistan. "Since I'm a courteous, civil person, I will behave myself accordingly." Two public handshakes, one national statement, one tree planting and one morning walk all that in the almost 24-hour-long visit. Watch | SCO Summit in Pakistan × Pakistani media and officials have been in full flurry of sending feelers that Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Jati Umra are on the same page on talks with India. Cricket is seen as low-hanging fruit by them, though it has been dismissed by the Indian side that resumption of cricket ties is not on the cards. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday (Oct 17) said: "Nothing of that sort happened...also the reports were not accurate.” As the hullabaloo over the visit dies down, the point is clear, New Delhi's policy of "talks and terror" can't go together, continues. The policy that came into being after Pathankot (2016) and the Pulwama terror attack (2019), has seen a decreased engagement with Pakistan in all spheres – political, entertainment and sports. After India removed special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan cut down further engagement, by expelling an Indian envoy, cutting rail, road, and bus linkages and stopping trade to almost nil barring pharma. Pakistan will continue to harp on Kashmir, as seen ahead of Indian EAM’s visit by comments made by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Islamabad cannot let go of Kashmir rhetoric, simply because the political rhetoric in the country is tied to it. The country won't be able to do anything much about it, other than making comments that serve the "establishment". Even Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who once found it quite fashionable to mention Kashmir at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), has now moved on to matters he deems more pressing. When even your allies start to ignore the script, it's time to consider one might be performing in an empty house. Also read | SCO roundup: India opposes China's OBOR, Jaishankar schools Pakistan, and more Today, New Delhi has no interest, incentive or stakeholdership in talking to Pakistan. The country has been supportive of anti-India elements, and terror groups like JeM, LeT, and tiredness remains over the conversational quagmire with Islamabad. 70 years is a long time, and for India's next generation, they look upon Pakistan not with the burdened eyes of history but with the indifference of those who have moved on. No stakes, no baggage – just another dot on the map. Coke Studio Pakistan may be popular for many while going to work in Gurgaon, Mumbai and Bengaluru but it is only there till the playlist changes to the next new song. For many Indians today, Pakistan is just another country, a country with which India has a negative past and an uncertain future. 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.

View from Delhi: No talks with Pakistan yet, the old cycle won't continue

As the diplomatic ties between India and Canada deteriorate owing to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's dangerous vote bank politics, New Delhi appears to be having second thoughts about buying&nbsp;Ontario-produced Stryker armoured vehicles, according to a report in the Economic Times.&nbsp;

"Plummeting diplomatic relations with Canada have raised doubts about Indian Army's plan to buy Ontario-produced Stryker armoured vehicles," the report stated.

The Stryker armoured vehicles deal was agreed upon during the 2+2 meeting held in 2023. It is an eight-wheel-drive combat vehicle developed by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada for the United States.&nbsp;It is armed with a 30 mm cannon and a 105 mm mobile gun.&nbsp;

The Stryker was deployed in Afghanistan to counter the&nbsp;Taliban and has been exported to Ukraine as well where it is being used to push the Russians back.&nbsp;

As per reports, talks had&nbsp;been ongoing with the US for limited off-the-shelf purchase of Strykers and coproduction of the military equipment. For the past year, the Canadian-US lobby has been actively pushing for the deal to go through which seemingly goes against the current regime's 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-sufficient India) initiative.&nbsp;

In June, senior US officials said there were plans to demonstrate the "capabilities of the Stryker to the Indian Army at an early opportunity". However, since then, the Indo-Canadian relations have hit a new low and New Delhi appears to be in no hurry to get back to the table and see the deal through.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-aims-at-exporting-armored-vehicles-asian-african-nations-to-import-tanks-764153">Watch |&nbsp;India Aims At Exporting Armored Vehicles, Asian African Nations to Import Tanks</a>

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<h2>Prefer domestic companies: Experts&nbsp;</h2>

Prior to the India-Canada row, experts had urged Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi's government to focus on the indigenous defence companies that have invested considerable capital to produce similar armoured vehicles, much more suited to Indian needs.

The homegrown Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP), jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Tata Advanced Systems Limited, is believed to be the&nbsp;most mature armoured infantry combat vehicle programme in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/false-implications-mea-denies-canada-expelled-envoys-says-india-pulled-its-diplomats-first-768382">Also read |&nbsp;'False implications': MEA denies Canada expelled envoys, says India pulled its diplomats first</a>

Military experts are of the view that New Delhi should go with the Indian company and leverage its position in the conflict with Canada seeing Ottawa has already threatened to impose sanctions.&nbsp;

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has damaged the ties after he claimed that the Indian government was behind the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Despite being pressed by New Delhi, Ottawa has been unable to provide&nbsp;evidence to back up its allegations - leading to bitter diplomatic feud.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

As the diplomatic ties between India and Canada deteriorate owing to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's dangerous vote bank politics, New Delhi appears to be having second thoughts about buying Ontario-produced Stryker armoured vehicles, according to a report in the Economic Times.

As the diplomatic ties between India and Canada deteriorate owing to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's dangerous vote bank politics, New Delhi appears to be having second thoughts about buying Ontario-produced Stryker armoured vehicles, according to a report in the Economic Times. "Plummeting diplomatic relations with Canada have raised doubts about Indian Army's plan to buy Ontario-produced Stryker armoured vehicles," the report stated. The Stryker armoured vehicles deal was agreed upon during the 2+2 meeting held in 2023. It is an eight-wheel-drive combat vehicle developed by General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada for the United States. It is armed with a 30 mm cannon and a 105 mm mobile gun. The Stryker was deployed in Afghanistan to counter the Taliban and has been exported to Ukraine as well where it is being used to push the Russians back. As per reports, talks had been ongoing with the US for limited off-the-shelf purchase of Strykers and coproduction of the military equipment. For the past year, the Canadian-US lobby has been actively pushing for the deal to go through which seemingly goes against the current regime's 'Make in India' and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-sufficient India) initiative. In June, senior US officials said there were plans to demonstrate the "capabilities of the Stryker to the Indian Army at an early opportunity". However, since then, the Indo-Canadian relations have hit a new low and New Delhi appears to be in no hurry to get back to the table and see the deal through. Watch | India Aims At Exporting Armored Vehicles, Asian African Nations to Import Tanks × Prefer domestic companies: Experts Prior to the India-Canada row, experts had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to focus on the indigenous defence companies that have invested considerable capital to produce similar armoured vehicles, much more suited to Indian needs. The homegrown Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP), jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Tata Advanced Systems Limited, is believed to be the most mature armoured infantry combat vehicle programme in the country. Also read | 'False implications': MEA denies Canada expelled envoys, says India pulled its diplomats first Military experts are of the view that New Delhi should go with the Indian company and leverage its position in the conflict with Canada seeing Ottawa has already threatened to impose sanctions. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has damaged the ties after he claimed that the Indian government was behind the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Despite being pressed by New Delhi, Ottawa has been unable to provide evidence to back up its allegations - leading to bitter diplomatic feud. (With inputs from agencies)

Has India applied brakes on Stryker armoured vehicle deal amid diplomatic row with Canada? Report claims...

The US Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on Fox News with anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday (Oct 16) for one of her most challenging interviews to date. The interview quickly turned into a debate, with Baier pressing Harris on key issues like the border, President Biden’s fitness, and Donald Trump’s threat to democracy.

It had hints at what she plans to do if she wins the race for White House in the November 5 election. Here's what a Kamala Harris presidency would look like, based on her answers to Fox News. 
&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Breaking with Biden, but not by much</h2>

Harris offered a rare distinction when asked how her presidency would differ from Joe Biden’s. “My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” she said, highlighting her focus on issues like housing and small businesses.&nbsp;

Though a clear attempt to distance herself slightly from the president, Harris’ comments were more rhetorical than substantive.&nbsp;

However, Biden himself recently hinted that he’s comfortable with Harris carving out her own path, saying, “She’s been loyal so far, but she’ll cut her own path.”

When Baier probed further, questioning Biden’s mental faculties, Harris stood firm, stating, “Mr. Biden is more than capable of leading the nation,” while calling Trump “unfit,” “unstable,” and “dangerous.”

<h2 dir="ltr">Immigration and border security: Baier pushes Trump talking points</h2>

Throughout the interview, Baier echoed several of Trump’s key arguments. Nearly half of the 26-minute discussion centred on immigration and border security, areas where Harris has struggled to gain favour with undecided voters.&nbsp;

Baier highlighted stories of women who were victims of undocumented immigrants, a frequent Trump talking point.

At one point, Baier even played a clip from a Trump rally where the former president defended his controversial “enemy from within” comments.&nbsp;

In response, Harris pushed back, redirecting the conversation to Trump’s role in sabotaging bipartisan immigration reform.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-elections-2024-donald-trump-takes-betting-odds-lead-against-kamala-harris-768149">Watch |&nbsp;US Elections 2024: Donald Trump Takes Betting Odds Lead Against Kamala Harris</a>

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&nbsp;

<h2 dir="ltr">Appealing to women voters</h2>

One of Harris’ key objectives in the interview was to connect with Republican women, a demographic her campaign hopes to sway.&nbsp;

However, Baier avoided discussing issues like abortion rights—topics that Harris’s campaign sees as crucial to winning over female voters. Instead, the conversation remained focused on border security.

When Baier pressed her on whether the Biden administration owed apologies to families of women killed by undocumented immigrants, Harris expressed condolences but pivoted to emphasise her prosecutorial record and the failures of Trump’s immigration policies.&nbsp;

“Let’s talk about what is happening right now with an individual who does not want to participate in solutions,” she said of Trump.

<h2 dir="ltr">Repeated interruptions highlight gender dynamics</h2>

Harris faced frequent interruptions from Baier, drawing comparisons to how Matt Lauer treated Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election.&nbsp;

At one point, Harris had to assert, “You have to let me finish, please.” Despite the interruptions, Harris remained composed, a dynamic that may have resonated with the female viewers her campaign is targeting.

As the interview progressed, Baier acknowledged the interruptions, stating, “We’re talking over each other,” and apologised before the segment ended.

<h2>Limited success in reaching Republicans</h2>

Despite her efforts to appeal to Republicans, the interview underscored the difficulties Harris faces in winning over a largely sceptical conservative audience. Though she repeatedly pointed to former Trump administration officials who support her, the majority of Fox News viewers remain aligned with Trump.

Even some progressives are concerned about Harris’s attempts to reach across the aisle, worried that her focus on courting moderates could dampen enthusiasm among younger, liberal voters.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-harris-losing-arab-american-support-in-coming-elections-768137">Also read |&nbsp;Is Kamala Harris losing Arab-American support in coming US elections?</a>

<h2 dir="ltr">Flipping Trump’s transgender attack</h2>

When Baier played a Trump campaign ad accusing Harris of supporting taxpayer-funded gender transition care for prisoners, Harris was quick to turn the tables.&nbsp;

“I will follow the law, and it’s a law that Donald Trump actually followed,” she said, pointing out that Trump’s administration provided similar treatments to inmates.&nbsp;

With a smile, she added, “That ad is a little bit of like throwing stones when you’re living in a glass house.”

The US Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on Fox News with anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday (Oct 16) for one of her most challenging interviews to date. The interview quickly turned into a debate, with Baier pressing Harris on key issues like the border, President Biden’s fitness, and Donald Trump’s threat to democracy.

The US Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on Fox News with anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday (Oct 16) for one of her most challenging interviews to date. The interview quickly turned into a debate, with Baier pressing Harris on key issues like the border, President Biden’s fitness, and Donald Trump’s threat to democracy. It had hints at what she plans to do if she wins the race for White House in the November 5 election. Here's what a Kamala Harris presidency would look like, based on her answers to Fox News. Breaking with Biden, but not by much Harris offered a rare distinction when asked how her presidency would differ from Joe Biden’s. “My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” she said, highlighting her focus on issues like housing and small businesses. Though a clear attempt to distance herself slightly from the president, Harris’ comments were more rhetorical than substantive. However, Biden himself recently hinted that he’s comfortable with Harris carving out her own path, saying, “She’s been loyal so far, but she’ll cut her own path.” When Baier probed further, questioning Biden’s mental faculties, Harris stood firm, stating, “Mr. Biden is more than capable of leading the nation,” while calling Trump “unfit,” “unstable,” and “dangerous.” Immigration and border security: Baier pushes Trump talking points Throughout the interview, Baier echoed several of Trump’s key arguments. Nearly half of the 26-minute discussion centred on immigration and border security, areas where Harris has struggled to gain favour with undecided voters. Baier highlighted stories of women who were victims of undocumented immigrants, a frequent Trump talking point. At one point, Baier even played a clip from a Trump rally where the former president defended his controversial “enemy from within” comments. In response, Harris pushed back, redirecting the conversation to Trump’s role in sabotaging bipartisan immigration reform. Watch | US Elections 2024: Donald Trump Takes Betting Odds Lead Against Kamala Harris × Appealing to women voters One of Harris’ key objectives in the interview was to connect with Republican women, a demographic her campaign hopes to sway. However, Baier avoided discussing issues like abortion rights—topics that Harris’s campaign sees as crucial to winning over female voters. Instead, the conversation remained focused on border security. When Baier pressed her on whether the Biden administration owed apologies to families of women killed by undocumented immigrants, Harris expressed condolences but pivoted to emphasise her prosecutorial record and the failures of Trump’s immigration policies. “Let’s talk about what is happening right now with an individual who does not want to participate in solutions,” she said of Trump. Repeated interruptions highlight gender dynamics Harris faced frequent interruptions from Baier, drawing comparisons to how Matt Lauer treated Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. At one point, Harris had to assert, “You have to let me finish, please.” Despite the interruptions, Harris remained composed, a dynamic that may have resonated with the female viewers her campaign is targeting. As the interview progressed, Baier acknowledged the interruptions, stating, “We’re talking over each other,” and apologised before the segment ended. Limited success in reaching Republicans Despite her efforts to appeal to Republicans, the interview underscored the difficulties Harris faces in winning over a largely sceptical conservative audience. Though she repeatedly pointed to former Trump administration officials who support her, the majority of Fox News viewers remain aligned with Trump. Even some progressives are concerned about Harris’s attempts to reach across the aisle, worried that her focus on courting moderates could dampen enthusiasm among younger, liberal voters. Also read | Is Kamala Harris losing Arab-American support in coming US elections? Flipping Trump’s transgender attack When Baier played a Trump campaign ad accusing Harris of supporting taxpayer-funded gender transition care for prisoners, Harris was quick to turn the tables. “I will follow the law, and it’s a law that Donald Trump actually followed,” she said, pointing out that Trump’s administration provided similar treatments to inmates. With a smile, she added, “That ad is a little bit of like throwing stones when you’re living in a glass house.”

What will a Kamala Harris presidency look like? What she said in her toughest interview: Recap and analysis

Oxford&nbsp;University has announced that former&nbsp;Pakistan Prime Minister&nbsp;Imran Khan&nbsp;is not included in the list of candidates to run for the position of the varsity's chancellor, Geo News reported.&nbsp;

"More than 40 people applied and only 38 were approved. The candidates were only excluded according to the exclusion criteria of the university. 26,000 people have registered to vote in this election. Khan has been disqualified to run in the election over several factors including his conviction and political role", the varsity officials told the news channel.

Prominent names in the list of people applying for the post of&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;included the UK's former Conservative Party leader Lord William Hague; UK's former Labour politician Lord Peter Mandelson; Elish Angiolini, Pro Vice&nbsp;Chancellor&nbsp;of the University of&nbsp;Oxford, Margaret Casely-Hayford and Dominic Grieve but only Khan has been disqualified from the top five well-known figures.&nbsp;

King's Counsel at UK's leading law firm Matrix Chambers opined that former prime minister Khan is not eligible for&nbsp;Oxford&nbsp;Chancellorship according to the university's own regulations.&nbsp;

The incoming&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;will be in post for a fixed term of no more than 10 years in accordance with the latest amendments enacted this year. These elections will also notably be the first ones to take place digitally.&nbsp;

"In the first round of voting, voters will have the opportunity to rank as many candidates as they choose. The top 5 candidates will go on to a second round. To make this election accessible to our global community of colleagues and alumni, the election will be held online," the university said.&nbsp;

"For the first time, an open application process was used to attract applicants from a wide range of backgrounds. The&nbsp;Chancellor's Election Committee has considered all applications solely on the specific exclusion criteria set out in the university regulations."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistans-former-pm-imran-khan-out-of-race-for-oxfords-chancellor-768350">Watch |&nbsp;Pakistan's Former PM Imran Khan Out Of Race For Oxford's Chancellor</a>

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Policy advocacy group Beltway Grid said that it analysed the legal opinion by the King's Counsel Hugh Southey of the Matrix Chambers about&nbsp;Oxford's&nbsp;Chancellor&nbsp;elections.&nbsp;

It was noted that Khan's candidacy was examined in light of Regulation 7(d) of&nbsp;Oxford's Council Regulations 8 of 2002 and Section 178 of the Charities Act 2011. These regulations establish criteria for those serving as trustees, including requirements for honesty and transparency.&nbsp;

"Within the broader context of leadership suitability, the Beltway Grid endorses the view of the Southey that while ex-PM Khan does not hold any office in&nbsp;Pakistan, he is actively involved in the operations of his political party, the&nbsp;PTI. Additionally, he has clear and public intentions to contest for and take the office of the Prime Minister of&nbsp;Pakistan, should the opportunity present itself," the statement issued by Beltway said.&nbsp;

"The role of&nbsp;Oxford's&nbsp;Chancellor&nbsp;requires an individual who can represent the university's global interests, uphold its values and not clearly be intent on taking political office during their chancellorship."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-govt-threatens-force-as-imran-khans-pti-plans-protest-during-sco-summit-766941">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistan government threatens force as Imran Khan's PTI plans protest during SCO summit</a>

The&nbsp;chancellor, who is usually an eminent public figure serves as the titular head of the university, presiding over all major ceremonies. Imran Khan&nbsp;graduated from&nbsp;Oxford&nbsp;University in 1975 after studying philosophy, politics, and economics.&nbsp;

Earlier this year in August, Khan had "formally submitted" the request to be considered for the post of&nbsp;chancellor&nbsp;via Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, London-based spokesperson for Khan's&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Oxford University has announced that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is not included in the list of candidates to run for the position of the varsity's chancellor, Geo News reported.

Oxford University has announced that former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is not included in the list of candidates to run for the position of the varsity's chancellor, Geo News reported. "More than 40 people applied and only 38 were approved. The candidates were only excluded according to the exclusion criteria of the university. 26,000 people have registered to vote in this election. Khan has been disqualified to run in the election over several factors including his conviction and political role", the varsity officials told the news channel. Prominent names in the list of people applying for the post of chancellor included the UK's former Conservative Party leader Lord William Hague; UK's former Labour politician Lord Peter Mandelson; Elish Angiolini, Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Margaret Casely-Hayford and Dominic Grieve but only Khan has been disqualified from the top five well-known figures. King's Counsel at UK's leading law firm Matrix Chambers opined that former prime minister Khan is not eligible for Oxford Chancellorship according to the university's own regulations. The incoming chancellor will be in post for a fixed term of no more than 10 years in accordance with the latest amendments enacted this year. These elections will also notably be the first ones to take place digitally. "In the first round of voting, voters will have the opportunity to rank as many candidates as they choose. The top 5 candidates will go on to a second round. To make this election accessible to our global community of colleagues and alumni, the election will be held online," the university said. "For the first time, an open application process was used to attract applicants from a wide range of backgrounds. The Chancellor's Election Committee has considered all applications solely on the specific exclusion criteria set out in the university regulations." Watch | Pakistan's Former PM Imran Khan Out Of Race For Oxford's Chancellor × Policy advocacy group Beltway Grid said that it analysed the legal opinion by the King's Counsel Hugh Southey of the Matrix Chambers about Oxford's Chancellor elections. It was noted that Khan's candidacy was examined in light of Regulation 7(d) of Oxford's Council Regulations 8 of 2002 and Section 178 of the Charities Act 2011. These regulations establish criteria for those serving as trustees, including requirements for honesty and transparency. "Within the broader context of leadership suitability, the Beltway Grid endorses the view of the Southey that while ex-PM Khan does not hold any office in Pakistan, he is actively involved in the operations of his political party, the PTI. Additionally, he has clear and public intentions to contest for and take the office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, should the opportunity present itself," the statement issued by Beltway said. "The role of Oxford's Chancellor requires an individual who can represent the university's global interests, uphold its values and not clearly be intent on taking political office during their chancellorship." Also read | Pakistan government threatens force as Imran Khan's PTI plans protest during SCO summit The chancellor, who is usually an eminent public figure serves as the titular head of the university, presiding over all major ceremonies. Imran Khan graduated from Oxford University in 1975 after studying philosophy, politics, and economics. Earlier this year in August, Khan had "formally submitted" the request to be considered for the post of chancellor via Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, London-based spokesperson for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Jailed Imran Khan out of race for Oxford's chancellor. Here's why

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has claimed that he spared India the blushes after his government did not hurl the accusations regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar when New Delhi was hosting the G20 Summit last year.&nbsp;

Testifying before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in Ottawa on Wednesday (Oct 16), Trudeau made the rather boastful remark, despite earlier conceding that his government did not have hard proof to back its accusations.&nbsp;

“We had the opportunity of making it a very uncomfortable summit for India if we went public with these allegations ahead of time,” Trudeau said.&nbsp;

“We chose not to. We chose to continue to work behind the scenes to try to get India to cooperate with us,” he added.&nbsp;

The Liberal leader added that after the G20 summit, he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and highlighted that Ottawa knew New Delhi&nbsp;was involved and raised serious concerns about it.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-canada-row-india-accuses-trudeau-of-damaging-ties-768352">Watch |&nbsp;India-Canada Row: India Accuses Trudeau Of Damaging Ties</a>

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<h2>No hard proof</h2>

During the testimony, Trudeau conceded that&nbsp;Canada had no hard proof before publicly accusing India of killing Nijjar and only provided intelligence.

"Their [Indian government] ask was how much do you know? Give us the evidence you have on this and our response was well...it's within your security agencies, you should be looking into how much they know. You should be engaging," said Trudeau.&nbsp;

"At that point, it was primarily intelligence and not hard evidentiary proof. So we said, let's work together and look into your security services and maybe we can get that out," he added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nijjar-killing-row-india-blasts-trudeaus-cavalier-attitude-following-no-hard-proof-remark-768171">Also read |&nbsp;Nijjar killing row: India blasts Trudeau’s ‘cavalier attitude’ following ‘no hard proof’ remark</a>

The Canadian PM also added that Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians and passing it to Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Soon after his testimony went viral, the Indian foreign affairs ministry released a late-night statement and blasted the Canadian PM and his government for their cavalier attitude and inability to produce evidence.&nbsp;

"What we have heard today only confirms what we have been saying consistently all along — Canada has presented us (India) no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats," read the statement.&nbsp;

New Delhi also held Trudeau responsible for severed diplomatic ties between the two nations. Following the Canadian PM’s allegations, India withdrew its top six diplomats from Ottawa and expelled the same number of Canadian diplomats from New Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has claimed that he spared India the blushes after his government did not hurl the accusations regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar when New Delhi was hosting the G20 Summit last year.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has claimed that he spared India the blushes after his government did not hurl the accusations regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar when New Delhi was hosting the G20 Summit last year. Testifying before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in Ottawa on Wednesday (Oct 16), Trudeau made the rather boastful remark, despite earlier conceding that his government did not have hard proof to back its accusations. “We had the opportunity of making it a very uncomfortable summit for India if we went public with these allegations ahead of time,” Trudeau said. “We chose not to. We chose to continue to work behind the scenes to try to get India to cooperate with us,” he added. The Liberal leader added that after the G20 summit, he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and highlighted that Ottawa knew New Delhi was involved and raised serious concerns about it. Watch | India-Canada Row: India Accuses Trudeau Of Damaging Ties × No hard proof During the testimony, Trudeau conceded that Canada had no hard proof before publicly accusing India of killing Nijjar and only provided intelligence. "Their [Indian government] ask was how much do you know? Give us the evidence you have on this and our response was well...it's within your security agencies, you should be looking into how much they know. You should be engaging," said Trudeau. "At that point, it was primarily intelligence and not hard evidentiary proof. So we said, let's work together and look into your security services and maybe we can get that out," he added. Also read | Nijjar killing row: India blasts Trudeau’s ‘cavalier attitude’ following ‘no hard proof’ remark The Canadian PM also added that Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians and passing it to Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Soon after his testimony went viral, the Indian foreign affairs ministry released a late-night statement and blasted the Canadian PM and his government for their cavalier attitude and inability to produce evidence. "What we have heard today only confirms what we have been saying consistently all along — Canada has presented us (India) no evidence whatsoever in support of the serious allegations that it has chosen to level against India and Indian diplomats," read the statement. New Delhi also held Trudeau responsible for severed diplomatic ties between the two nations. Following the Canadian PM’s allegations, India withdrew its top six diplomats from Ottawa and expelled the same number of Canadian diplomats from New Delhi. (With inputs from agencies)

Trudeau claims he 'could've made G20 Summit uncomfortable' for India despite having no proof of Nijjar killing

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing criticism for allegedly overlooking Chinese interference in Canadian politics even as he accused India of involvement in the death of a Sikh separatist leader. Meanwhile, India has slammed Trudeau for his "cavalier attitude" after he admitted lacking hard evidence in the Nijjar killing case.

In other news, JD Vance has backed Donald Trump's claims of a rigged 2020 US election after weeks of silence, alleging "serious problems" in the process.

North Korea&nbsp;has&nbsp;amended its&nbsp;constitution, officially designating South Korea as a "hostile" state under Kim Jong Un's orders.

Click on the headlines for more

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As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went overboard in linking India to the death of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil last year, he has been now accused of turning a blind eye towards China’s alleged interference in Canadian politics. While speaking before the Foreign Interference Commission, a panel set up to probe interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 elections, Trudeau casually labelled China’s efforts to target Canadian MPs as “part of what diplomats do.”

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:737,&quot;w&quot;:700,&quot;h&quot;:34,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:2574}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jd-vance-breaks-silence-backs-trumps-rigged-election-claims-alleges-serious-problems-in-2020-us-elections-768176">JD Vance breaks silence, backs Trump's rigged election claims; alleges 'serious problems' in 2020 US elections</a>

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JD Vance has finally broken his silence over whether his running mate Donald Trump won the 2020 election. After weeks of staying mum on the issue, Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance said on Wednesday (Oct 16) that he unequivocally believes Trump's claims that he did not lose the election.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:1225,&quot;w&quot;:641,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:3062}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nijjar-killing-row-india-blasts-trudeaus-cavalier-attitude-following-no-hard-proof-remark-768171">Nijjar killing row: India blasts Trudeau’s ‘cavalier attitude’ following ‘no hard proof’ remark</a>

<img alt="main img" bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:1258,&quot;w&quot;:640,&quot;h&quot;:353,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:3095}" src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2024/10/17/460649-screenshot-2024-10-17-084647.jpg?imwidth=400" />

Indian foreign affairs ministry in a late-night statement on Wednesday (Oct 16) blasted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after he acknowledged that he had only "intelligence-based speculation" and no "hard evidentiary proof" against India over the death of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

<a bis_size="{&quot;x&quot;:8,&quot;y&quot;:1697,&quot;w&quot;:511,&quot;h&quot;:16,&quot;abs_x&quot;:41,&quot;abs_y&quot;:3534}" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-amends-constitution-declares-south-korea-a-hostile-state-768166">North Korea amends constitution, declares South Korea a 'hostile' state</a>

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North Korea on Thursday (Oct 16) announced a major change in its constitution: South Korea is now defined as a "hostile" state. This marks the first confirmation by Pyongyang of legal changes the nation's premier Kim Jong Un ordered earlier this year.

Watch |&nbsp;India: Fresh Battalion Of CRPF Sanctioned

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing criticism for allegedly overlooking Chinese interference in Canadian politics even as he accused India of involvement in the death of a Sikh separatist leader.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing criticism for allegedly overlooking Chinese interference in Canadian politics even as he accused India of involvement in the death of a Sikh separatist leader. Meanwhile, India has slammed Trudeau for his "cavalier attitude" after he admitted lacking hard evidence in the Nijjar killing case. In other news, JD Vance has backed Donald Trump's claims of a rigged 2020 US election after weeks of silence, alleging "serious problems" in the process. North Korea has amended its constitution, officially designating South Korea as a "hostile" state under Kim Jong Un's orders. Click on the headlines for more Trudeau accused of allowing China a free run as he locks horns with New Delhi As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went overboard in linking India to the death of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil last year, he has been now accused of turning a blind eye towards China’s alleged interference in Canadian politics. While speaking before the Foreign Interference Commission, a panel set up to probe interference in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 elections, Trudeau casually labelled China’s efforts to target Canadian MPs as “part of what diplomats do.” JD Vance breaks silence, backs Trump's rigged election claims; alleges 'serious problems' in 2020 US elections JD Vance has finally broken his silence over whether his running mate Donald Trump won the 2020 election. After weeks of staying mum on the issue, Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance said on Wednesday (Oct 16) that he unequivocally believes Trump's claims that he did not lose the election. Nijjar killing row: India blasts Trudeau’s ‘cavalier attitude’ following ‘no hard proof’ remark Indian foreign affairs ministry in a late-night statement on Wednesday (Oct 16) blasted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after he acknowledged that he had only "intelligence-based speculation" and no "hard evidentiary proof" against India over the death of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. North Korea amends constitution, declares South Korea a 'hostile' state North Korea on Thursday (Oct 16) announced a major change in its constitution: South Korea is now defined as a "hostile" state. This marks the first confirmation by Pyongyang of legal changes the nation's premier Kim Jong Un ordered earlier this year. Watch | India: Fresh Battalion Of CRPF Sanctioned

Morning news brief: India slams Trudeau; Vance backs Trump's 2020 'rigged polls' claim, and more

US President Joe Biden announced a $425 million arms package for Kyiv Wednesday in a call with President Volodymr Zelensky, ahead of a meeting with European leaders in Berlin to discuss Ukraine, the White House said.

The package includes air defence and armoured vehicles, it said in a readout of the call, adding that Biden had briefed Zelensky "on his&nbsp;efforts&nbsp;to&nbsp;surge security assistance to Ukraine over the remainder of his term in office."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

US President Joe Biden announced a $425 million arms package for Kyiv Wednesday in a call with President Volodymr Zelensky, ahead of a meeting with European leaders in Berlin to discuss Ukraine, the White House said.

US President Joe Biden announced a $425 million arms package for Kyiv Wednesday in a call with President Volodymr Zelensky, ahead of a meeting with European leaders in Berlin to discuss Ukraine, the White House said. The package includes air defence and armoured vehicles, it said in a readout of the call, adding that Biden had briefed Zelensky "on his efforts to surge security assistance to Ukraine over the remainder of his term in office." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

US announces fresh $425 million arms package for Ukraine

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has admitted that his government did not have hard evidence when it alleged that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.&nbsp;

Trudeau made the admission while&nbsp;testifying before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in Ottawa.

Trudeau said Canada had no proof before publicly accusing India of killing Nijjar and only provided intelligence. He appeared before the committee after the latest charge that Indian diplomats were involved in collecting information and using criminal gangs for targeting members of pro-Khalistan movement in Canada.

"Canada asked India to cooperate. Their (India) ask was for proof. We asked for Indian security agencies to investigate further and cooperate with us. Because at that point what we (Canada) had was intelligence," Trudeau said.

"Their [Indian government] ask was how much do you know? Give us the evidence you have on this and our response was well...it's within your security agencies, you should be looking into how much they know. You should be engaging," said Trudeau.&nbsp;

"At that point, it was primarily intelligence and not hard evidentiary proof. So we said, let's work together and look into your security services and maybe we can get that out," he added.&nbsp;

The Canadian PM also added that Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians and passing it to Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Trudeau admits “no evidentiary proof” provided to India. 
 
FYI - Intel are pointers inadmissible in court; Evidence is what you use in court to arrest. 
Eg 
Intel - Goldie Brar went to the 🇮🇳 embassy 
Evidence - Goldie discussed assassinations with the 🇮🇳 ambassador <a href="https://t.co/tmyRea5nmw">pic.twitter.com/tmyRea5nmw</a>
— Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) <a href="https://twitter.com/Iyervval/status/1846582880081793422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians &amp; passing to Lawrence Bishnoi Gang says Canada PM Justin Trudeau at foreign interference commission <a href="https://t.co/4PRuGog5Cz">https://t.co/4PRuGog5Cz</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ms5QlG2Paq">pic.twitter.com/Ms5QlG2Paq</a>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1846584995273707902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Notably, Trudeau's Wednesday testimony contradicts his own statement that he made two days ago after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) conducted a press conference alleging the Indian connection to criminal gangs in the North American country.&nbsp;

"The evidence brought to light by the RCMP cannot be ignored. It leads to one conclusion: it is necessary to disrupt the criminal activities that continue to pose a threat to public safety in Canada. That is why we acted. Because we will always – first and foremost – stand for the right of Canadians to feel safe and secure in their own country," said Trudeau at the time.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-canada-relations-diplomatic-showdown-over-hardeep-singh-nijjars-murder-wion-originals-767902">Watch |&nbsp;India-Canada Relations: Diplomatic Showdown Over Hardeep Singh Nijjar's Murder | WION Originals</a>

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<h2>Is the Trudeau government working with Khalistani terrorists?</h2>

The admission by Trudeau comes hours after Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun claimed in an interview with CBC News that he had been communicating with the Canadian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for the last two to three years and sharing intel about the spy network – referring to the Indian government officials. &nbsp;

"(Canadian Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau's statement shows Canada's unwavering commitment to justice, rule of law, and national security. And Sikhs for Justice has been communicating with the Prime Minister's Office for the last 2-3 years, detailing all the spy network," said Pannun in an interview with CBC News.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-to-impose-sanctions-on-india-experts-say-sick-man-shouldnt-punch-above-its-weight-767697">Also read |&nbsp;Canada to impose sanctions on India? Experts say ‘sick man’ shouldn’t punch above its weight</a>

<h2>New Delhi has 'no faith' in Ottawa</h2>

On Monday (Oct 14), India recalled its High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, and other top diplomats, saying it has lost faith in the Trudeau government to protect its assets.&nbsp;

"We have no faith in the current Canadian Government's commitment to ensure their security. Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials," read a statement by the ministry.&nbsp;

Later in the day, six Canadian diplomats, including Charge d'Affaires, Stewart Wheeler were asked to leave India by or before 11:59 pm local time on Saturday (Oct 19).

(With inputs from agencies)

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has admitted that his government did not have hard evidence when it alleged that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has admitted that his government did not have hard evidence when it alleged that the Indian government was involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Trudeau made the admission while testifying before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions in Ottawa. Trudeau said Canada had no proof before publicly accusing India of killing Nijjar and only provided intelligence. He appeared before the committee after the latest charge that Indian diplomats were involved in collecting information and using criminal gangs for targeting members of pro-Khalistan movement in Canada. "Canada asked India to cooperate. Their (India) ask was for proof. We asked for Indian security agencies to investigate further and cooperate with us. Because at that point what we (Canada) had was intelligence," Trudeau said. "Their [Indian government] ask was how much do you know? Give us the evidence you have on this and our response was well...it's within your security agencies, you should be looking into how much they know. You should be engaging," said Trudeau. "At that point, it was primarily intelligence and not hard evidentiary proof. So we said, let's work together and look into your security services and maybe we can get that out," he added. The Canadian PM also added that Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians and passing it to Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Trudeau admits “no evidentiary proof” provided to India. FYI - Intel are pointers inadmissible in court; Evidence is what you use in court to arrest. Eg Intel - Goldie Brar went to the 🇮🇳 embassy Evidence - Goldie discussed assassinations with the 🇮🇳 ambassador pic.twitter.com/tmyRea5nmw — Abhijit Iyer-Mitra (@Iyervval) October 16, 2024 × Indian diplomats were collecting information on Canadians & passing to Lawrence Bishnoi Gang says Canada PM Justin Trudeau at foreign interference commission https://t.co/4PRuGog5Cz pic.twitter.com/Ms5QlG2Paq — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) October 16, 2024 × Notably, Trudeau's Wednesday testimony contradicts his own statement that he made two days ago after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) conducted a press conference alleging the Indian connection to criminal gangs in the North American country. "The evidence brought to light by the RCMP cannot be ignored. It leads to one conclusion: it is necessary to disrupt the criminal activities that continue to pose a threat to public safety in Canada. That is why we acted. Because we will always – first and foremost – stand for the right of Canadians to feel safe and secure in their own country," said Trudeau at the time. Watch | India-Canada Relations: Diplomatic Showdown Over Hardeep Singh Nijjar's Murder | WION Originals × Is the Trudeau government working with Khalistani terrorists? The admission by Trudeau comes hours after Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun claimed in an interview with CBC News that he had been communicating with the Canadian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for the last two to three years and sharing intel about the spy network – referring to the Indian government officials. "(Canadian Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau's statement shows Canada's unwavering commitment to justice, rule of law, and national security. And Sikhs for Justice has been communicating with the Prime Minister's Office for the last 2-3 years, detailing all the spy network," said Pannun in an interview with CBC News. Also read | Canada to impose sanctions on India? Experts say ‘sick man’ shouldn’t punch above its weight New Delhi has 'no faith' in Ottawa On Monday (Oct 14), India recalled its High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, and other top diplomats, saying it has lost faith in the Trudeau government to protect its assets. "We have no faith in the current Canadian Government's commitment to ensure their security. Therefore, the Government of India has decided to withdraw the High Commissioner and other targeted diplomats and officials," read a statement by the ministry. Later in the day, six Canadian diplomats, including Charge d'Affaires, Stewart Wheeler were asked to leave India by or before 11:59 pm local time on Saturday (Oct 19). (With inputs from agencies)

Justin Trudeau admits Canada had no ‘hard proof’ of India’s role in Nijjar killing, only ‘intel’

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief&nbsp;Badruddin Ajmal&nbsp;on Wednesday (Oct 16) sparked a controversy claiming that the Parliament building and the areas surrounding it in the national capital of Delhi are built on Waqf property.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ajmal claimed that the area around&nbsp;Vasant Vihar&nbsp;in the national capital up to the&nbsp;airport&nbsp;has been built on Waqf property.

"There are voices and a list of Waqf properties across the world is out - the Parliament building, surrounding areas, and areas around&nbsp;Vasant Vihar&nbsp;up to the&nbsp;airport&nbsp;have been built on Waqf property. People also say that the&nbsp;airport&nbsp;has been built on Waqf property," the AIUDF said.

"It is bad to use the Waqf land without permission. They will lose their ministry very soon over this Waqf Board issue," he added.

Meanwhile, the opposition MPs have written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on gross violation of the parliamentary code of conduct during the meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024.

The opposition MPs in the letter alleged numerous violations of the&nbsp;parliamentary code of conduct and rules of procedure by Committee Chairperson Jagdambika Pal during the Committee meeting held on October 14 in New Delhi.

In a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, the opposition MPs stated: "The proceedings of the Committee were conducted in a biased and partisan manner by the Chairperson Jagdambika Pal. The invitation extended to Anwar Manippady to depose evidence before the Committee by the Chairperson is not within the scope and ambit of the Committee."

The opposition MPs also claimed that a note titled to be a presentation on the "Waqf Bill 2012 based on Karnataka Waqf Scam Report 2012" contained no observations on the Waqf Bill rather only politically motivated allegations against leaders of the Karnataka Congress including Mallikarjun Kharge.

According to the MPs, Manippady deviated from the agenda of the meeting and made a series of allegations against the Karnataka government and levelled allegations against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The opposition MPs said that the allegations were irrelevant and unacceptable.

"At the beginning of his remarks, Manippady circulated a note titled "Presentation on the&nbsp;Waqf Amendment Bill&nbsp;2012 based on Karnataka Waqf Scam Report 2012" to the committee members. The note contained no observations on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024,"&nbsp;read the letter.

"Instead, it was full of politically motivated allegations against leaders of the Karnataka Congress, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha). Despite vehement protests by several committee members that Kharge occupies a constitutional position of high dignity and is not present in the meeting, the witness was allowed to speak by the Chairperson. Further, he refused to provide adequate time to committee members to lodge their protests," it added.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;WAQF (Amendment) bill sent to joint parliamentary committee | What is WAQF?

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&nbsp;

The opposition MPs in the letter also stated that the Members of the Committee were deprived of their fundamental right to voice their concerns and thoughts in a space which is expected to operate with the highest alignment to democratic values.

"We believe that it is imperative to inform you of the situation, as it not only involves an insult to the Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha, but paves a way for a marked departure from the spirit of bipartisanship and dignity expected from a parliamentary committee," read the letter.

"We request your immediate intervention in the matter, and expect you to remind the Chairperson of the Committee of his duty to be bipartisan and uphold&nbsp;parliamentary norms. It will be very difficult for Members of Parliament across party lines to continue working on the Joint Parliamentary Committee in the current partisan and politically motivated environment,"&nbsp;it&nbsp;further stated.

The Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting on the Waqf Bill at Parliament Annexe, witnessed a heated exchange between ruling party MPs and opposition MPs, leading to an intense debate and the opposition MPs staging a walkout of the meeting.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/explained-what-is-waqf-board-and-why-does-the-indian-government-want-to-curb-its-powers-747223">Also read |&nbsp;Explained: What is Waqf Board and why does the Indian government want to curb its powers?</a>

However, opposition MPs, who previously walked out on Tuesday alleging the use of abusive language from a BJP MP and biased behaviour returned to participate in the meeting again. The opposition MPs who had walked out of the meeting earlier in the day also alleged that the chairman of the committee, Jagdambika Pal, was being biased on many issues and not giving instructions to BJP/NDA MPs.

The opposition MPs had earlier on Monday also walked out of the JPC meeting on Waqf Bill over allegations made by Anwar Manippady, former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission and the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal on Wednesday (Oct 16) sparked a controversy claiming that the Parliament building and the areas surrounding it in the national capital of Delhi are built on Waqf property.

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal on Wednesday (Oct 16) sparked a controversy claiming that the Parliament building and the areas surrounding it in the national capital of Delhi are built on Waqf property. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ajmal claimed that the area around Vasant Vihar in the national capital up to the airport has been built on Waqf property. "There are voices and a list of Waqf properties across the world is out - the Parliament building, surrounding areas, and areas around Vasant Vihar up to the airport have been built on Waqf property. People also say that the airport has been built on Waqf property," the AIUDF said. "It is bad to use the Waqf land without permission. They will lose their ministry very soon over this Waqf Board issue," he added. Meanwhile, the opposition MPs have written a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on gross violation of the parliamentary code of conduct during the meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024. The opposition MPs in the letter alleged numerous violations of the parliamentary code of conduct and rules of procedure by Committee Chairperson Jagdambika Pal during the Committee meeting held on October 14 in New Delhi. In a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, the opposition MPs stated: "The proceedings of the Committee were conducted in a biased and partisan manner by the Chairperson Jagdambika Pal. The invitation extended to Anwar Manippady to depose evidence before the Committee by the Chairperson is not within the scope and ambit of the Committee." The opposition MPs also claimed that a note titled to be a presentation on the "Waqf Bill 2012 based on Karnataka Waqf Scam Report 2012" contained no observations on the Waqf Bill rather only politically motivated allegations against leaders of the Karnataka Congress including Mallikarjun Kharge. According to the MPs, Manippady deviated from the agenda of the meeting and made a series of allegations against the Karnataka government and levelled allegations against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. The opposition MPs said that the allegations were irrelevant and unacceptable. "At the beginning of his remarks, Manippady circulated a note titled "Presentation on the Waqf Amendment Bill 2012 based on Karnataka Waqf Scam Report 2012" to the committee members. The note contained no observations on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024," read the letter. "Instead, it was full of politically motivated allegations against leaders of the Karnataka Congress, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition (Rajya Sabha). Despite vehement protests by several committee members that Kharge occupies a constitutional position of high dignity and is not present in the meeting, the witness was allowed to speak by the Chairperson. Further, he refused to provide adequate time to committee members to lodge their protests," it added. Watch | WAQF (Amendment) bill sent to joint parliamentary committee | What is WAQF? × The opposition MPs in the letter also stated that the Members of the Committee were deprived of their fundamental right to voice their concerns and thoughts in a space which is expected to operate with the highest alignment to democratic values. "We believe that it is imperative to inform you of the situation, as it not only involves an insult to the Leader of Opposition, Rajya Sabha, but paves a way for a marked departure from the spirit of bipartisanship and dignity expected from a parliamentary committee," read the letter. "We request your immediate intervention in the matter, and expect you to remind the Chairperson of the Committee of his duty to be bipartisan and uphold parliamentary norms. It will be very difficult for Members of Parliament across party lines to continue working on the Joint Parliamentary Committee in the current partisan and politically motivated environment," it further stated. The Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting on the Waqf Bill at Parliament Annexe, witnessed a heated exchange between ruling party MPs and opposition MPs, leading to an intense debate and the opposition MPs staging a walkout of the meeting. Also read | Explained: What is Waqf Board and why does the Indian government want to curb its powers? However, opposition MPs, who previously walked out on Tuesday alleging the use of abusive language from a BJP MP and biased behaviour returned to participate in the meeting again. The opposition MPs who had walked out of the meeting earlier in the day also alleged that the chairman of the committee, Jagdambika Pal, was being biased on many issues and not giving instructions to BJP/NDA MPs. The opposition MPs had earlier on Monday also walked out of the JPC meeting on Waqf Bill over allegations made by Anwar Manippady, former Chairman of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission and the Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Indian Parliament built on Waqf land, claims AIUDF chief Badruddin Ajmal

The Union government has ordered the complete withdrawal of the counter-terrorist commando force NSG from VIP security duties and handing over its nine "high-risk" VIPs to the CRPF by the next month, official sources said Wednesday (Oct 16).

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also sanctioned a fresh battalion of specially trained personnel, recently withdrawn from Parliament security duties, to be attached to the CRPF VIP security wing.

The 'black cat' commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG) provide 'Z plus' category protection to nine VIPs which include Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his predecessor and BSP supremo Mayawati, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, veteran BJP leader and former deputy prime minister L K Advani, and Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

The others include BJP leader and former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, former Jammu and Kashmir CM and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) president Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The transfer of duties between the two forces under the MHA is expected to be completed within a month, they said.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has six VIP security battalions, has been asked to absorb a seventh battalion for this purpose.

The fresh battalion is the one that used to guard the Parliament till a few months back. After a security breach that took place last year, the Parliament security was handed over to the CISF from the CRPF, a senior officer told PTI.

As part of the taking over the new task, a team of Andhra Pradesh Police was in Delhi recently for the change of its chief minister's security from the NSG to the CRPF, the sources said.

Two among these nine VIPs will also have the advanced security liaison (ASL) protocol being undertaken by the CRPF-- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and UP Chief Minister Adityanath, as per the sources.

ASL involves an advance reconnaissance of the location to be visited by the VIP. The CRPF undertakes such a protocol for five of its VIPs including Home Minister Amit Shah, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and three Gandhi family Congress leaders.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: India boosting security along China border

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The plan to relieve NSG from VIP security tasks has been in the making since 2012 when NSG commanders foresaw an event where simultaneous terror attacks could be witnessed at one time on multiple centres in the country and the commandos would have to be rushed in different directions.

PTI had reported in January 2020, that after the removal of the SPG (special protection group) from the Gandhi family&nbsp;<meta charset="utf-8" />–&nbsp;Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra-- a committee of the MHA had decided to withdraw NSG from VIP security tasks.

The Union government has decided to "restructure" the NSG and use its manpower to raise and station 'strike teams' of commandos in some high-risk areas like near the Ram temple in Ayodhya and around some critical assets located in the southern part of the country.

Withdrawal of the NSG from VIP security, once done by November, will happen after over two decades since the 'black cat' commandos were drafted in this duty, a task not originally charted for it when the force was conceptualised and raised in 1984.

The NSG is celebrating its 40th raising day on Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-army-deploys-500-special-forces-commandos-to-hunt-pakistani-terrorists-in-jk-742668">Also read |&nbsp;India Army deploys 500 Special Forces commandos to hunt Pakistani terrorists in J&amp;K</a>

The Union government is of the view that the NSG should concentrate on its original charter of handling specific tasks of counter-terrorist and counter-hijack operations and that the task of securing high-risk VIPs was proving to be a "burden" on its limited and specialist capabilities.

Around 450 'black cat' commandos are expected to be freed once NSG is withdrawn from VIP security duties, the sources had said.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Union government has ordered the complete withdrawal of the counter-terrorist commando force NSG from VIP security duties and handing over its nine "high-risk" VIPs to the CRPF by the next month, official sources said Wednesday (Oct 16).

The Union government has ordered the complete withdrawal of the counter-terrorist commando force NSG from VIP security duties and handing over its nine "high-risk" VIPs to the CRPF by the next month, official sources said Wednesday (Oct 16). The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also sanctioned a fresh battalion of specially trained personnel, recently withdrawn from Parliament security duties, to be attached to the CRPF VIP security wing. The 'black cat' commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG) provide 'Z plus' category protection to nine VIPs which include Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his predecessor and BSP supremo Mayawati, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, veteran BJP leader and former deputy prime minister L K Advani, and Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. The others include BJP leader and former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh, former Jammu and Kashmir CM and Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) president Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. The transfer of duties between the two forces under the MHA is expected to be completed within a month, they said. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which has six VIP security battalions, has been asked to absorb a seventh battalion for this purpose. The fresh battalion is the one that used to guard the Parliament till a few months back. After a security breach that took place last year, the Parliament security was handed over to the CISF from the CRPF, a senior officer told PTI. As part of the taking over the new task, a team of Andhra Pradesh Police was in Delhi recently for the change of its chief minister's security from the NSG to the CRPF, the sources said. Two among these nine VIPs will also have the advanced security liaison (ASL) protocol being undertaken by the CRPF-- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and UP Chief Minister Adityanath, as per the sources. ASL involves an advance reconnaissance of the location to be visited by the VIP. The CRPF undertakes such a protocol for five of its VIPs including Home Minister Amit Shah, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and three Gandhi family Congress leaders. Watch | Gravitas: India boosting security along China border × The plan to relieve NSG from VIP security tasks has been in the making since 2012 when NSG commanders foresaw an event where simultaneous terror attacks could be witnessed at one time on multiple centres in the country and the commandos would have to be rushed in different directions. PTI had reported in January 2020, that after the removal of the SPG (special protection group) from the Gandhi family – Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra-- a committee of the MHA had decided to withdraw NSG from VIP security tasks. The Union government has decided to "restructure" the NSG and use its manpower to raise and station 'strike teams' of commandos in some high-risk areas like near the Ram temple in Ayodhya and around some critical assets located in the southern part of the country. Withdrawal of the NSG from VIP security, once done by November, will happen after over two decades since the 'black cat' commandos were drafted in this duty, a task not originally charted for it when the force was conceptualised and raised in 1984. The NSG is celebrating its 40th raising day on Wednesday. Also read | India Army deploys 500 Special Forces commandos to hunt Pakistani terrorists in J&K The Union government is of the view that the NSG should concentrate on its original charter of handling specific tasks of counter-terrorist and counter-hijack operations and that the task of securing high-risk VIPs was proving to be a "burden" on its limited and specialist capabilities. Around 450 'black cat' commandos are expected to be freed once NSG is withdrawn from VIP security duties, the sources had said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

India: NSG commandos to be withdrawn from VIP security

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