US Says Urgently Seeking Information On Gaza Aid Incident

US Says Urgently Seeking Information On Gaza Aid Incident

More than 100 killed as Israeli forces shot at the crowd as they came too close to aid truck.

Washington:

The United States on Thursday asked Israel to provide answers and ensure safe aid delivery after dozens were killed in a scramble for food shipments in Gaza, calling the situation “desperate.”

“We are urgently seeking additional information on exactly what took place,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters as he offered condolences for those killed.

“We have been in touch with the Israeli government since early this morning and understand that an investigation is underway. We will be monitoring that investigation closely and pressing for answers,” he said.

He called on Israel to allow “as many points of access as possible, and to enable safe and secure distribution of that aid throughout Gaza.”

“We continue to make clear in all of our discussions with the government of Israel that all possible measures must be taken to allow the entry of more assistance into Gaza,” he said.

Miller said the rush for aid showed that the situation was “incredibly desperate” in Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of the risk of famine.

“People are swarming these trucks because they’re hungry, because they need food, because they need medicine and other assistance,” he said.

He called for a deal on a ceasefire, after President Joe Biden warned earlier in the day that the killings would complicate negotiations.

Biden also spoke Thursday with the leaders of Egypt and Qatar in hopes of progress.

“The best way to alleviate the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people is to reach an agreement for a temporary ceasefire that would get hostages out, enable more aid to come in and allow that aid to move everywhere inside Gaza,” Miller said.

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

India Must Build Deep National Strengths To Be Leading Power: S Jaishankar

India Must Build Deep National Strengths To Be Leading Power: S Jaishankar

New Delhi::

India must build “deep national strengths” for its transition towards a leading power and the country’s goals and ambitions cannot be determined by the goodwill of others, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday.

In a virtual address at the Asia Economic Dialogue held in Pune, he said the vision of the Narendra Modi government and its programmes over the last decade are aimed at building national strength.

“As the most populous country that will be third largest economy by the end of the decade, our goals and ambitions cannot be determined by the goodwill of others,” Mr Jaishankar said.

“We must build deep national strengths during the ‘Amrit Kaal’ that will drive the transition towards a developed economy and a leading power,” he said.

“This is the vision of the Modi Government and our initiatives and programmes of the last decade are aimed at this end,” he added.

The minister also delved into various geopolitical challenges facing the globe.

“One is the supply-chain challenge that arises from a particular economic hardwiring created by the globalization era. Whether it is finished products, intermediates or components, the world is dangerously dependent on a limited number of suppliers,” he said.

“How to introduce greater resilience and reliability is today central to de-risking the global economy. All of us need more options and must work to create them,” he said.

The second challenge Jaishankar identified as that of technology.

“The digital era has given it an altogether different connotation because it is so intrusive. It is not just our interests that are at stake but often the most personal of our decisions and choices,” he said.

“Such an era demands more trust and transparency. But in fact, we are seeing the reverse where technology providers are concerned,” he noted.

The minister also talked about “unpredictability and opaqueness” while referring to globalisation.

“The third is the challenge of over-concentrations stemming from the nature of globalisation. They are heightened by unpredictability and opaqueness. We discovered this most sharply during the Covid period,” he said.

“But from time to time, we are also reminded when market dominance is weaponised. For the Global South, this is particularly serious given the extent of dependence,” he added.

Mr Jaishankar said these three phenomena come together particularly impactfully in terms of evolution of critical and emerging technologies.

“To create a more safe, secure and cooperative world, we clearly need greater international cooperation. Only that can serve to mitigate unilateral demands, economic domination or technology assertions,” he said.

“For India, this means moving across a broad front of domains that all contribute to comprehensive national power. It requires a massive upgrade of our skills base,” he noted.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Crypto Exchange To Refund $1.1 Billion To Customers Locked Out Since 2022

Crypto Exchange To Refund $1.1 Billion To Customers Locked Out Since 2022

Customers have not been able to access the funds since late 2022.

Cryptocurrency exchange Gemini will return at least $1.1 billion to customers of its defunct lending program and pay a fine of $37 million for unsafe and unsound practices as part of a settlement with the New York Department of Financial Services, the regulator said on Wednesday.

Gemini’s Earn program, which was offered in partnership with crypto lender Genesis Global Capital, was halted during a crypto market crash in November 2022. That dislocation caused Genesis to file for bankruptcy, and has led to extensive litigation between Genesis, Gemini and Genesis’s parent company, Digital Currency Group.

The Take

The agreement means Gemini’s Earn customers, who have not been able to access the funds held in those accounts since late 2022, are one step closer to regaining access to their money.

NYDFS said on Wednesday that it retains the right to bring further action against Gemini if the company does not fulfill its obligation to return at least $1.1 billion to customers following the resolution of Genesis’ bankruptcy.

Context

Gemini is run by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss – also known as the Winklevoss twins, who grabbed national attention for their legal battle against Meta Platforms’ CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The company had previously sued DCG over the failure of their joint crypto lending partnership.

The two companies partnered in December 2020 to allow Gemini customers the chance to loan their crypto assets to Genesis in exchange for earning interest, ultimately collecting billions of dollars’ worth of crypto assets from investors.

NYDFS claimed that Gemini failed to monitor and conduct due diligence on Genesis throughout the life of the Earn program and failed to maintain adequate reserves.

Key Quote

“Gemini failed to conduct due diligence on an unregulated third party, later accused of massive fraud, harming Earn customers who were suddenly unable to access their assets after Genesis Global Capital experienced a financial meltdown,” said NYDFS Superintendent Adrienne Harris in a statement. “Today’s settlement is a win for Earn customers, who have a right to the assets they entrusted to Gemini.”

 

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

Brian Mulroney, Former Canadian Prime Minister, Dies At 84

Brian Mulroney, Former Canadian Prime Minister, Dies At 84

Former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney was 84.

Montreal:

Brian Mulroney, the former Canadian prime minister who struck a free trade deal with the U.S. but whose legacy was marred by revelations of improper business dealings with an arms dealer, has died.

Mulroney died peacefully surrounded by family, his daughter Caroline Mulroney posted on social media platform X on Thursday. He was 84.

Mulroney had a heart procedure in August and was treated for prostate cancer earlier last year, she said in a social media post in late August 2023.

A corporate lawyer turned businessman, Mulroney led the center-right Progressive Conservatives to a historic win in 1984 over the Liberals of Pierre Trudeau.

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

As Indrani Mukerjea Series Streams, A Look At The Chilling Murder Case

As Indrani Mukerjea Series Streams, A Look At The Chilling Sheena Bora Murder Case

Sheena Bora Murder Case has intrigued the nation since 2012.

New Delhi:

In the bustling city of Mumbai, beneath the veneer of glamour and success, a sinister tale of deception, betrayal, and murder unfolded in 2012 – a tale that has captivated the nation for over a decade. Twenty-five-year-old Sheena Bora, an ambitious executive working for Mumbai Metro One, vanished without a trace on April 24, 2012. She was never seen again.

After investigating the case for years, Mumbai police arrested Sheena’s mother Indrani Mukerjea, a former media executive, and her second husband, Peter Mukerjea, along with their driver, Shyamvar Rai, in August 2015. The charges? Abduction, murder, and the gruesome disposal of Sheena Bora’s body.

The arrest came after months of surveillance on Indrani, initiated following a tip-off and Rai’s earlier arrest for illegal weapons possession.

How Sheena Bora Was Murdered

Sheena Bora was allegedly strangled to death in a car by Indrani, her then-driver Shyamvar Rai, and ex husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012.

Latest and Breaking News on NDTV

Peter Mukerjea; Sheena Bora with step-brother Rahul. (File photo)

During interrogation, Khanna and Rai confessed to the crime. However, Indrani vehemently denied the accusations, claiming Sheena was alive and well, residing in the United States.

Shyam Rai’s interrogation allegedly revealed details of Sheena’s murder, implicating Indrani and her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna.

According to Rai’s account, the murder was meticulously planned, with Indrani surveying the location for the disposal of the body a day before the crime. On the evening of April 24, 2012, Khanna allegedly strangled Sheena in a by-lane in Bandra, following her drop-off by Rahul Mukerjea. The body was then transported to Indrani’s residence in Worli, where it was concealed in a bag and stuffed in the trunk of a car, claim investigators.

Rai claimed that the trio then embarked on a haunting journey to the village of Gagode in Maharashtra to dispose of the body by burning it.

Latest and Breaking News on NDTV

What Was The Motive

During the trial, several dark secrets of the Mukerjea family came to light. Sheena Bora was allegedly in a live-in relationship with her step-brother Rahul, the younger son of Peter Mukerjea with his first wife. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claimed that financial disputes and Indrani’s opposition to Sheena’s relationship with Rahul were key factors behind the murder. The alleged conspiracy, involving Peter Mukerjea as well, painted a picture of a complex familial dynamic marred by jealousy and conflicts.

Indrani Mukerjea, while being held in Byculla jail on charges of murdering her daughter, emerged with a memoir titled ‘Unbroken: The Untold Story’ in which she said that Sheena Bora was like a sister to her, not a daughter.

In the city where dreams and nightmares collide, the Sheena Bora murder case remains a haunting tale, a dark chapter etched in the records of crime history.

The docu-series, titled ‘The Indrani Mukerjea Story: The Buried Truth’, delves into the disappearance of Sheena Bora and is scheduled to premiere on streaming platform Netflix on February 29.

India’s ‘Drishyam’ goes Hollywood; movie to be soon remade in English

Panorama Studios has acquired the international remake rights to the Malayalam movies “Drishyam 1 and 2” from the original producers Aashirvad Cinemas

Published Date – 29 February 2024, 06:32 PM


India’s ‘Drishyam’ goes Hollywood; movie to be soon remade in English

Photo: X

Mumbai: Production house Panorama Studios on Thursday said it has teamed up with Gulfstream Pictures and JOAT Films for the Hollywood remake of the “Drishyam” franchise.

Panorama Studios has acquired the international remake rights to the Malayalam movies “Drishyam 1 & 2” from the original producers Aashirvad Cinemas.


The film series is also being developed in South Korea as well as a development deal is being finalised for a Spanish language version, the banner said in a release.

Kumar Mangat Pathak, Chairman and Managing Director, Panorama Studios, said he is excited to celebrate the story of “Drishyam” with audiences worldwide.

“We are very happy to collaborate with Gulfstream Pictures and JOAT Films to create this story in English for Hollywood. After Korea and Hollywood, our mission is to produce ‘Drishyam’ in 10 countries in the next three to five years,” he said in a statement.

“We have received immense love from our Indian audiences, who have made the ‘Drishyam’ franchise a massive success. The strength of ‘Drishyam’ lies in its story, and we want it to be enjoyed by audiences globally,” added producer Abhishek Pathak, who also directed “Drishyam 2” (Hindi).

“Drishyam”, the 2013 Malayalam crime thriller, revolved around Georgekutty (Mohanlal) and his family, who come under suspicion when Varun Prabhakar, the son of the IG Geetha Prabhakar, goes missing. The movie was written and directed by Jeethu Joseph.

Mike Karz and Bill Bindley of Gulfstream Pictures, the banner behind “Blended” and “Upgraded”, said they are happy to collaborate with Panorama Studios and JOAT Films on the English language adaptation of “Drishyam”.

“The film is a timeless thriller that has entranced audiences across the globe. We can’t wait to bring the movie to fans here in the U.S,” Karz and Bindley said in a joint statement.

Jack Nguyen, founder of JOAT Films, described “Drishyam” as a unique yet enduring story.

“The story has clearly resonated with audiences worldwide as evidenced by the numerous remakes it has spawned. Gulfstream, Panorama and JOAT are excited to have the opportunity to present our take on this cleverly crafted thriller to audiences globally,” Nguyen said.

While the Korean and English versions are in the works, “Drishyam” has also been remade in languages such as Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Sinhala and Mandarin.

No words can capture horrors unfolding in Gaza: UN rights chief


Volker Turk, the United Nations human rights chief

The United Nations human rights chief expresses dismay concerning the brutality with which the Israeli regime is leading its ongoing months-long war of genocide against the Gaza Strip.

“There appear to be no bounds to — no words to capture — the horrors that are unfolding before our eyes in Gaza,” Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday.

More than 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed as a result of the military onslaught so far.

Israel launched the campaign on October 7 last year following al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise operation by Gaza’s resistance movements against the occupied territories.

Turk condemned “the brutality of the Israeli response” as “appalling and entirely wrong.”

The UN official, meanwhile, warned about the pending dire consequences of a ground invasion that the regime has threatened to stage against the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

More than 1.5 million of Gaza’s 2.4-million-plus population have fled to the city, finding nowhere else safe across the coastal sliver.

Such a ground assault, Turk said, would contravene the orders issued by the United Nations’ highest court.

On January 26, the International Court of Justice in The Hague said Israel had to “prevent the commission of all acts within the scope” of the Genocide Convention.

“I fail to see how such an operation could be consistent with the binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice,” Turk said.

“The prospect of an Israeli ground assault on Rafah would take the nightmare being inflicted on people in Gaza into a new dimension,” he noted.


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Amir Accuses Multan Commissioner Of Mistreating His Family, Clarifies Later

Former Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who is representing Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has alleged that the Deputy Commissioner of Multan misbehaved with his family and unjustly ejected them from the stadium during a match. Amir took to social media to level his allegations and even tagged the chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province – Maryam Nawaz Sharif – to take action against the official. Amir claimed four wickets for his franchise in the the first four matches he played this season at an average of 34.5 and an economy rate of 8.62.

‘Shocked by the unacceptable behavior of the Deputy Commissioner of Multan, who reportedly mistreated my family, arrogantly claiming ownership of the ground & unjustly ejecting them during a match. This abuse of power is intolerable! Urging authorities for immediate action,” he wrote on X.

Shocked by the unacceptable behavior of the Deputy Commissioner of Multan, who reportedly mistreated my family, arrogantly claiming ownership of the ground & unjustly ejecting them during a match. This abuse of power is intolerable! Urging authorities for immediate action…

— Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) February 26, 2024

A day later Amir posted an update on the issue.

Earlier. Amir spoke on the speculations of his comeback to international cricket. The left-arm pacer called time on his international cricket career in 2020.

While the entire cricket fraternity was shocked on his early retirement, Amir then clarified that he took the decision due to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management’s poor behaviour towards him.

He said that that he came to the decision based on how some members of the board kept on going about his decision to not play Test cricket.

Ever since the change of the then PCB management, speculations have been rife that Amir could make a comeback to international cricket. However, the pacer has clarified that he has no plans to take a U-turn from retirement.

“Honestly, straightforward for me this debate is closed. No chance for now. Nobody is certain about life but for me this (a chance of an international comeback) is no more a question. I am out of the international circuit for the past three years and I don’t think I will be making a comeback,” said Amir while replying to a query from NDTV during a media interaction.

Topics mentioned in this article

Putin Critic Navalny To Be Buried In Moscow Amid Tight Security Today

Putin Critic Navalny To Be Buried In Moscow Amid Tight Security Today

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most vociferous critic Alexei Navalny was died on 16 February.

Moscow:

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny will be buried in Moscow later on Friday amid tight security and fears of a police crackdown two weeks after he suddenly died at the age of 47 in an Arctic penal colony.

Navalny’s allies – who have promised to livestream the day’s events online – have accused President Vladimir Putin of having him murdered because the Russian leader could allegedly not tolerate the thought of Navalny being freed in a potential prisoner swap.

They have not published proof to back up that accusation, but have promised to set out how he was murdered and by whom.

The Kremlin has denied state involvement in his death and has said it is unaware of any agreement to free Navalny. His death certificate – according to allies – said he died of natural causes.

Navalny, a former lawyer, mounted the most determined political challenge against Putin since the Russian leader came to power at the end of 1999, organising street protests and publishing high-profile investigations into the alleged corruption of some in the ruling elite.

But a series of criminal charges for fraud and extremism – which Navalny said were politically-motivated – saw him handed jail sentences of over 30 years and most of his supporters have either fled the country or are in jail.

Navalny decided to return to Russia from Germany in 2021 after being treated for what Western doctors said was poisoning with a nerve agent only to be immediately taken into custody.

Putin, who controls all the levers of state and is expected to be comfortably re-elected for another six-year term in two weeks, has yet to comment on Navalny’s death and has for years avoided mentioning him by name.

Though Navalny is well known in the West, state TV inside Russia did not mention him for years either and when it did it was brief and in a negative light.

A religious service for Navalny is due to be held at 1400 local time in the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God in the Moscow district of Maryino where Navalny used to live.

He is then scheduled to be buried at the Borisovskoye cemetery, around 2.5 km (1.5 miles) away on the other side of the Moskva River two hours later.

Navalny’s allies, who are outside Russia and have been designated as U.S.-backed extremists by the authorities, have called on people who want to honour his memory but cannot attend his funeral service to instead go to certain landmarks in their own towns on Friday evening at 7 p.m. local time.

The Kremlin has dismissed statements by his allies as provocative and warned that the police will uphold the law.

Judging from previous gatherings of Navalny supporters, a heavy police presence is likely and the authorities will break up anything they deem to resemble a political demonstration under protest laws.

Navalny’s wife Yulia, with whom he had two children, has said she is unsure whether the funeral itself will pass off peacefully or whether police will arrest attendees. She is outside Russia.

Navalny’s mother Lyudmila, 69, is expected to attend his funeral. It is unclear who else will be allowed into the church for the service.

Navalny was a Christian who condemned Putin’s decision to send tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine as a crazy enterprise built on lies. But the church that will host his funeral has donated to the Russian army and enthusiastically advertised its backing for the war.

In the run-up to his funeral, his allies accused the authorities of blocking their plans to hold a bigger civil memorial service and said unknown individuals had even managed to thwart their attempts to hire a hearse to transport him to his own funeral.

The Kremlin has said it has nothing to do with Navalny’s funeral arrangements.

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

Rajasthan Urges Centre To Ask CBI To Appeal Acquittal Of Abdul Karim Tunda

Rajasthan Urges Centre To Ask CBI To Appeal Acquittal Of Abdul Karim Tunda

The lawyer said that CBI failed to present evidence against Abdul Karim Tunda in 1993 blast case.

Jaipur:

BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari on Thursday said the Rajasthan government has urged the Centre to ask the CBI to file an appeal challenging the acquittal of Abdul Karim Tunda in the 1993 serial blast case.

Speaking to ANI on Thursday, Mr Tiwari said, “The case was probed by the CBI and it was their lawyers, who argued for the agency when the case went to trial. The Rajasthan government has nothing to do with this case. However, in the interest of justice, the state government and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma today urged the central government to ask the CBI to file an appeal in the matter.”

The Terrorist and Anti-Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) court on Thursday acquitted Abdul Karim Tunda, the main accused in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, citing lack of evidence.

Advocate Shafqat Sultani of Tunda said that the CBI failed to present any strong evidence against Tunda.

“Abdul Karim Tunda is innocent, the court said in its judgment today. He has been acquitted of all sections. The CBI’s prosecutors could not produce any concrete piece of evidence before the court in TADA, IPC, Railway Acts, Arms Act, or Explosive Substances Act,” advocate Sultani, representing the defendant, told reporters.

The BJP had earlier accused the Congress of ‘appeasement’ following the acquittal of the accused in the 2008 Jaipur serial blasts case.

Over 80 persons were killed and more than 183 injured in the Jaipur bomb blasts on May 13, 2008. Eight explosions rocked the city on the day, sending shockwaves throughout the country.

The CBI had accused Tunda of being the mastermind behind the blasts on four trains on the first anniversary of the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition.

“We had been saying from the beginning that Abdul Karim Tunda is innocent. Irfan and Hamiduddin have been convicted and the quantum of the sentence will be pronounced shortly,” the advocate added.

The charges were framed against Tunda, and two other accused, identified as Irfan alias Pappu and Hamiruddin, for orchestrating the blasts in Lucknow, Kanpur, Hyderabad, Surat and Mumbai on the intervening night of December 5-6, 1993.

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