Middle East

Leader hails Palestinians resistance against Israeli crimes

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Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei made the remarks in a meeting with the Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Tuesday evening.

The Leader stressed that the Palestinians’ historical patience honored Islam and made the issue of Palestine the first issue of the world.

The Islamic Republic of Iran would not hesitate to support the Palestinian issue and the oppressed people of Gaza.

Haniyeh, for his part, said that the patience and resistance of the people of Gaza and the Resistance forces during the last six months has caused the Zionist enemy to not achieve any of its strategic goals in the Gaza war.

He also hailed the efforts of the Iranian government and nation in supporting Palestine and the people of Gaza.

The war in Gaza is a world war and the American ruling body is the main accomplice of the Zionists, Haniyeh added.

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Top News

PCB In Talks To Hire Former Mumbai Indians Star As Head Coach

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File photo of Pakistan cricket team

The Pakistan Cricket Board has narrowed down its search for a new head coach to former Australia and New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Luke Ronchi. A PCB source said on Wednesday that “extensive discussions” had taken place with the 42-year-old Ronchi, who has also coached Pakistan Super League side Islamabad United. “With no high-profile coach showing interest in working for the PCB as most of them are already committed with different leagues or have reservations working in Pakistan cricket, the search has come down to Ronchi,” the source said.

He said the contract with Ronchi should be finalised in the next few days before the home T20 series against New Zealand commences.

Ronchi, after taking retirement from professional cricket, has also worked with the New Zealand team as its batting consultant and coach.

The source added that the PCB team had contacted some well-known coaches but most of them were either already committed or reluctant to accept any assignment with the Pakistan board.

“Given the history of the PCB in dealing with foreign and local coaches, obviously one can understand the reservations of some foreign coaches,” he said.

The source said that even Ronchi had not said yes as yet and had asked for an ironclad assurance that he would be given a proper time frame to work with the Pakistan team over a period of time no matter what the results are.

“He wants clear assurances that his performance will only be evaluated after a certain period of time, not after every series or event,” the source said.

PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi had last week blamed the leakage of salary details and other aspects of a possible coaching contract with Shane Watson for the Australian to eventually back out of the discussion.

The PCB has already started its training camp at the Kakul army base in preparation for the T20 World Cup in June, starting with Pakistan’s home series against New Zealand in April.

Ronchi is among those few players who have represented two countries in international cricket — he appeared first for Australia and then for New Zealand. PTI Cor AM AM AM

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World

Israel withdraws negotiators as Hamas rejects Qatar truce deal

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Israel remains firm in rejecting many of the demands presented by the mediators, including Qatar and Egypt acting on behalf of Hamas.

Updated On – 27 March 2024, 10:27 AM


Israel withdraws negotiators as Hamas rejects Qatar truce deal


Tel Aviv: Israel has recalled its negotiating team from Qatar after Hamas rejected its latest offer on a hostage deal and truce, an Israeli official said.

The delegation led by the Mossad chief, David Barnea, had been in Doha for eight days.

Israel has said that it will not relent to many of the demands put forward by the meditators, including Qatar and Egypt on behalf of the Hamas side.

According to sources in the Israel defence ministry, Hamas had again put forward a demand of a total ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli troops and rehabilitation of Palestinians in northern Gaza from the south where they have been staying as refugees since the war broke out.

Meanwhile, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement on Tuesday night said, “Hamas wanted a permanent ceasefire and its decision to reject a US brokered compromise was clear proof of it not interested in continuing talks, and a sad testament to the damage caused by the UN Security council resolution.”

The statement also said, “Israel won’t cave into delusional demands made by Hamas.”

The hawks in the Israeli establishment, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were not willing for even a temporary truce. This is owing to the military intelligence reports that Hamas military infrastructure has crumbled and only four battalions were remaining in southern Gaza and that it was only a matter of time before Hamas caves in.

The IDF chief has also briefed the Israel war cabinet that it was only a matter of time for the army to defeat Hamas and to take out its elusive and dreaded leader, Yahya Sinwar — the mastermind of the October 7, 2023 massacre.

The Israel defence ministry sources told IANS that the Hamas was trying to buy time and was expecting an escalation of violence in the West Bank area by the Hezbollah side before the end of Holy Ramzan month, which would force Israel to enter into mediation at the behest of international pressure.

Middle East

Iran slams Israeli regime's genocidal nature at IPU meeting

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Addressing the assembly in Geneva, Mojtaba Razakhah highlighted the atrocities committed by the Zionist regime in Gaza, where more than 32,000 innocent people have been killed over the past six months, 72% of them women and children.  

He also mentioned the decree issued by the late founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, designating the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan as Quds Day, a day when millions of Iranians march across the country to raise awareness about the Palestinian issue.

Iran has paid a heavy price due to its anti-genocide policies, the Iranian representative said, citing the assassination of Iranian scientists by the Zionist regime and the harsh sanctions imposed on the country by the United States, the primary ally of the Israeli regime.

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Sports

IPL 2024: SRH vs MI on March 27; When and where to watch

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Ipl 2024

Hyderabad: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) play host to Mumbai Indians (MI) on Wednesday in the Match 8 of the IP 2024, with both teams looking to bounce back from gut-wrenching opening losses.

Sunrisers lost to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their opening game while Mumbai suffered a loss against Gujarat Titans. The two teams are currently sitting seventh and eighth on the points table.

The two teams compete against each other on 21 times in the tournament with Mumbai having upper hand against SRH with 12 wins.

SRH v MI Head-to-Head 21 matches:

Sunrisers Hyderabad – 9

Mumbai Indians: 12

SRH v MI match time:

The Match starts at 7:30 PM IST (2:00 PM GMT) with toss taking place half an hour prior to the match i.e., 7:00 PM (1:30 PM GMT).

SRH v MI match venue: The SRH v MI match will take place at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.

Live broadcast of SRH v MI match on television in India:

SRH v MI match will be broadcast live via Star Sports Network.

Live stream in India:

The live streaming of SRH v MI will be available on JioCinema.

Squads:

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Mayank Agarwal, Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen(w), Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Marco Jansen, Pat Cummins(c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan, Travis Head, Glenn Phillips, Washington Sundar, Jaydev Unadkat, Anmolpreet Singh, Upendra Yadav, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Umran Malik, Jhatavedh Subramanyan, Sanvir Singh, Akash Maharaj Singh, Nitish Reddy

Mumbai Indians: Ishan Kishan(w), Rohit Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Hardik Pandya(c), Shams Mulani, Gerald Coetzee, Piyush Chawla, Jasprit Bumrah, Luke Wood, Naman Dhir, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Shreyas Gopal, Vishnu Vinod, Arjun Tendulkar, Nehal Wadhera, Kumar Kartikeya, Shivalik Sharma, Anshul Kamboj, Akash Madhwal, Nuwan Thushara, Kwena Maphaka

India

Kejriwal’s ED custody directives could compound legal woes for AAP

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The investigative agency is scrutinizing the authenticity and origin of the alleged directives purportedly issued by CM Kejriwal to his ministerial colleagues Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj.

Updated On – 27 March 2024, 09:50 AM


Kejriwal’s ED custody directives could compound legal woes for AAP


New Delhi: Two orders issued by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over water and sewage issues in the national capital have triggered a controversy about the legitimacy and legality of such a step — which could potentially multiply legal hassles for the Delhi CM as well as the Aam Aam Party (AAP).

The probe agency is examining the veracity and source of the so-called directives issued by CM Kejriwal to his ministerial colleagues Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj.

The ED is very likely to raise the legality of sending such orders before the Rouse Avenue Court when Kejriwal is presented next before the court on the expiry of his existing remand timeline.

After his arrest, CM Kejriwal first issued an order to Water Minister Atishi from the custody of the ED on Sunday, while another directive was issued on Tuesday to the health department on smooth functioning of the Aam Aam Party’s (AAP) flagship Mohalla Clinics.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has claimed that CM Kejriwal, despite being remanded to ED custody, is more concerned about the people of the national capital than himself.

However, the issuance of directives by Kejriwal in custody has triggered allegations of illegal operations and unlawful takeover of the Delhi CM’s office.

The opposition BJP has questioned the authenticity of the directive allegedly sent by CM Kejriwal to Delhi minister Atishi, questioning the timing of its issuance.

BJP national secretary, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, alleged that the AAP leaders presented an illegal order in the name of the Delhi Chief Minister, claiming that the Chief Minister issued it while in ED custody.

Describing this act as entirely illegal, unconstitutional, and an abuse of the office of the Delhi CM, Sirsa lodged a complaint with Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena and ED, seeking registration of a case against Atishi and other individuals for hatching a criminal conspiracy. Along the same lines, Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Jindal has urged the L-G to initiate an investigation into the “gross violation of legal procedures” by CM Kejriwal.

In his letter, Jindal said that standard legal procedures dictate that any individual, irrespective of his or her post, even a government official in remand, cannot engage in communication with the outside world without explicit court approval.

“In Kejriwal’s case, only his spouse and legal counsel have been granted permission to meet him. The court has not granted any permission to Arvind Kejriwal to communicate any formal order or decisions as CM of Delhi from Enforcement Directorate custody,” he said.

On the contrary, constitutional expert and former Secretary General of Lok Sabha P.D.T. Achary said that since Kejriwal has not resigned and has not been disqualified under operation of law, he continues to remain in the constitutional position as Chief Minister. Achary said that there exists no bar under the Constitution for a person to hold the CM post or discharge his or duties while he or she is in custody, obviously subjected to rules provided under the prison manual.

However, there exist practical problems since the CM has to preside over Cabinet meetings, take decisions on files, consult the Chief Secretary and other officials, he added.

Achary highlighted that Kejriwal is not an ordinary accused but the Chief Minister of Delhi and the courts could allow him to function as a CM within the jail precincts or in custody.

“There is no constitutional infirmity in passing of directives from custody. He can issue orders in custody. He is performing his duties as a Chief Minister,” he said. However, the issue of authenticity of these directives is to be dealt with independently, particularly when there was no permission to the CM by the court to issue orders from the ED’s custody.

Top News

Ship That Crashed Into US Bridge Passed 2 Inspections Last Year

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Ship That Crashed Into US Bridge Passed 2 Inspections Last Year

Singapore:

Singapore’s port authority said Wednesday that a cargo ship that slammed into a Baltimore bridge, causing it to collapse and block one of the busiest US commercial harbours, had passed two overseas inspections in 2023.

“The vessel’s required classification society and statutory certificates covering the structural integrity of the vessel and functionality of the vessel’s equipment, were valid at the time of the incident,” the port authority said.

It added that a faulty monitor gauge for fuel pressure was rectified in June.

Late Tuesday, the port authority said its investigators and those from the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau were heading to Baltimore, offering assistance to the US Coast Guard.

The Singapore-flagged ship had “experienced momentary loss of propulsion” just before it ran into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed and blocked the commercial harbour.

The Port of Baltimore is the ninth-busiest major US port in terms of both foreign cargo handled and foreign cargo value, and is directly responsible for more than 15,000 jobs, supporting almost 140,000 more.

US authorities on Tuesday suspended their search for six people missing after the incident, taking into consideration the cold water temperatures and time passed.

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

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Delhi Restaurant Owner, Facing Murder Charge, Shot Dead

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Delhi Restaurant Owner, Facing Murder Charge, Shot Dead

Police said seven empty bullet shells were found at the murder spot (File)

New Delhi:

A 32-year-old restaurant owner was shot dead by unidentified assailants in northeast Delhi’s New Usmanpur area, police said on Wednesday.

Sanjay Singh, who had been booked in a murder case, was attacked near his house when he was on his way back from the restaurant on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

One of Singh’s friends found him lying injured on the road and informed the victim’s younger brother Nitin, who runs a dairy, a police officer said.

Nitin rushed to the spot and found Singh lying in a pool of blood near Hanuman Mandir Wali Gali service road, the officer said.

Singh sustained injuries in the head, right shoulder and elbow, and abdomen. He was rushed to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead, according to police.

Police said seven empty bullet shells, four pieces of lead and one live round of 7.65 mm were found at the spot.

Another officer said Singh had been booked in connection with the murder of a man, Ravinder. The two lived in the same locality.

“Efforts are being made to identify those who killed Singh. Footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area is being scanned,” the officer said, adding that all angles of the case are being looked at.

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

Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Husband kills wife over family dispute

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On receiving information, police reached the spot and shifted the body to the mortuary for postmortem examination.

Updated On – 27 March 2024, 10:04 AM


Hyderabad: Husband kills wife over family dispute

Representational Image

Hyderabad: A husband murdered his wife at Kulsumpura in the city over family issues on Tuesday night. The husband, identified as Syed Saleem (43) came home allegedly in an inebriated condition and picked up a quarrel with his wife. Later, he allegedly strangled her to death.

On receiving information, police reached the spot and shifted the body to the mortuary for postmortem examination.

The family members told the police that Saleem frequently fought with his wife and on several instances the family elders had counseled him.

The police registered a case and are investigating.

World

Singapore sends investigators to assist bridge collapse in Baltimore

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On Tuesday, a container vessel flying the Singaporean flag collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, resulting in the bridge’s collapse.

Updated On – 27 March 2024, 09:51 AM


Singapore sends investigators to assist bridge collapse in Baltimore


Singapore: Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau and Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) have dispatched officers to Baltimore in the US to support the investigation into a vessel-bridge collision incident, according to the latest statement from the MPA.

A Singapore-flagged container vessel collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday, and the bridge collapsed.

The ship management company, Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, reported that the vessel lost propulsion before the incident. As a result, it failed to maintain the desired heading and collided with the bridge, said the statement.

The vessel was reported to have dropped its anchors as part of the emergency procedures prior to its impact with the bridge. The vessel was under pilotage at the time of the incident, the MPA added.

Search and rescue efforts led by US authorities are ongoing, according to the statement.