United Nations (TIP) – The United Nations Security Council on Friday, Sept 19, voted against a resolution that sought to block the reimposition of deep economic sanctions on Tehran over its resurgent nuclear program.
The vote prompted anger from Iran, which condemned France, Britain and Germany for an “illegal, unjustified and provocative” effort to reimpose “snapback” sanctions on the Islamic Republic under a 2015 nuclear deal, but indicated a diplomatic solution could still be reached.
Triggering the “snapback” mechanism required the Security Council to vote on removing the sanctions from Iran. The draft resolution was put forward by South Korea, the current president of the 15-member council, but did not garner the support of the nine countries required to halt the sanctions from taking effect at the end of the month.
Iran’s ally Russia, which is also signatory to the 2015 deal, voted in favor of the draft resolution to permanently lift sanctions from Iran, as did China, Pakistan and Algeria. Nine members, including France and Britain, voted against the resolution, while two abstained. France, Britain and Germany, collectively known as the E3 nations, are signatories to a 2015 deal with Tehran that eased some sanctions in exchange for restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activity.
Accusing Iran of failing to abide by the agreement, the E3 triggered the “snapback” mechanism on August 28 following unsuccessful talks with Iran to reach a new nuclear agreement.
The mechanism launched a 30-day period for the return of all the UN sanctions that were in place on Iran before the 2015 deal, including a conventional arms embargo, restrictions on ballistic missile development, asset freezes, travel bans and a ban on producing nuclear-related technology.
The Security Council vote Friday has now set up eight days of intense diplomacy while world leaders, including Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, are in New York for the annual UN General Assembly.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is set to meet with his European counterparts on the sideline of the high-level gathering, Iranian UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told reporters after the UN Security Council vote Friday, adding that the door to diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear program was still open.
Earlier, Araghchi said he had put forward a “fair and balanced” proposal to European powers to prevent the return of sanctions.
He said in a telephone call with the UN nuclear watchdog chief after the Security Council vote that Iran was subject to “unfair pressure” and “rejects any political action and unfair pressure that could lead to an escalation of tensions.”
Tag: World News
-
UN Security Council nixes resolution to spare Iran from ‘snapback’ sanctions
-
Recognising Palestinian state is best way to isolate Hamas, says Macron
Facing an economic and political crisis at home, French President Emmanuel Macron has insisted that recognising a Palestinian state would isolate the militant group Hamas. Macron also reiterated his condemnation of Israel’s non-stop offensive in Gaza.
In an interview with Israeli television’s Channel 12, President Macron asserted that the “Legitimate perspective of the Palestinian people and what they suffer today has nothing to do with Hamas.”
“Recognition of a Palestinian state is the best way to isolate Hamas,” Macron furthered.
France and Britain are among the Western countries that have vowed to formally recognise a Palestinian state at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this month. Their key objective is to sideline Hamas and allow a two-state solution to a long-standing Arab-Israeli conflict.
Answering a question about economic sanctions, Macron said, “I think if the Gaza City operation is pursued by the government, it’s clearly a debate we will need.”
Slamming Israel for unleashing offensives in Gaza, the French President further said: “This type of operation in Gaza is totally counterproductive and a failure. You are destroying the image and the credibility of Israel, not just in the region, but in public opinion everywhere.” -
Kim Jong Un oversees drone test, orders AI development
Pyongyang (TIP)- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw a test of an attack drone and ordered greater use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the technology, state media said on September 19.
Images shared by the official Korean Central News Agency showed the unmanned vehicle taking off and then destroying a target.
State media said the exercise demonstrated the “excellent combat effectiveness of Kumsong-series tactical attack drones”, reporting Kim expressed “great satisfaction” with the result.
Drones are emerging as a “major military activity asset, raising it as a top-priority and important task in modernizing the armed forces of the DPRK,” Kim reportedly said, using the acronym for North Korea.
He also ordered “efforts to rapidly developing the newly-introduced artificial intelligence technology” as well as the “expanding and strengthening” of drone production capabilities.
Analyst Hong Min at Seoul’s Korea Institute for National Unification said Kim sees drone technology as critical to securing “great power status”.
“The drones raise concerns because they offer low-cost, high-efficiency threats: autonomous mission execution, improved accuracy and lethality, suitability for mass production, and enhanced tactical flexibility,” he added.
Pyongyang unveiled its first attack drones last year and experts have warned its new capability in this area could be linked to its budding alliance with Russia.
Analysts also say North Korean troops sent to fight for Russia will be gaining modern warfare experience — including how drones are used on the battlefield.
And Lim Eul-chul at South Korea’s Kyungnam University said AI could allow North Korean drones to “operate even if GPS or communications signals are jammed, relying on pre-trained algorithms”.
North Korea has tested GPS jamming attacks on the South Korean assets — an operation that affected several ships and dozens of civilian aircraft.
“The AI drive has gained momentum since 2024, drawing on Russian technology transfers and lessons from the war in Ukraine,” Lim said. -
RSF strike kills 75 people in Sudan’s Darfur: Rescuers
The RSF conducted their strike as they pressed a push to capture Darfur’s last army-held city.
The attack struck a mosque at the Abu Shouk camp, just outside the North Darfur capital, said the Emergency Response Room, a local volunteer group coordinating relief in the camp. “The bodies were retrieved from the rubble of the mosque,” the group said in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from the RSF on the incident.
El-Fasher, which has been under paramilitary siege for about 18 months, is the final state capital in Darfur still under the control of Sudan’s army, which has been locked in a devastating war with the RSF since April 2023.
The city’s fall would hand the RSF full territorial dominance over the region, where the UN and rights groups have already reported mass atrocities, including ethnically targeted killings.
Satellite imagery released by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab on Thursday showed RSF forces advancing on multiple fronts, including around Abu Shouk camp and the former UNAMID peacekeeping base, now used by anti-RSF Joint Forces. The Joint Forces, a coalition of former rebel groups from Darfur, sided with the army in late 2023 after mass killings targeting the Masalit tribe in West Darfur state capital El-Geneina. “RSF has likely captured the former UNAMID compound, Joint Forces’ base of operations,” Yale said, citing damage visible in satellite imagery collected between Monday and Thursday. -
British spy chief says he sees no evidence Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine
ISTANBUL (TIP)- There is “absolutely no evidence” that Russia’s President Vladimir Putin wants to negotiate peace in Ukraine, the head of Britain’s foreign intelligence agency said Friday, Sept 19, in an outgoing speech.
Richard Moore, chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6 as it is more commonly known, said Putin was “stringing us along.”
“He seeks to impose his imperial will by all means at his disposal. But he cannot succeed,” Moore said. “Bluntly, Putin has bitten off more than he can chew. He thought he was going to win an easy victory. But he – and many others – underestimated the Ukrainians.”
Moore was speaking at the British consulate in Istanbul after five years as head of MI6. He leaves the post at the end of September. The agency will then get its first female chief.
During his tenure, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a war that has seen tens of thousands killed and still rages, principally in eastern Ukraine.
Moore said the invasion had strengthened Ukrainian national identity and accelerated its westward trajectory, as well as pushing Sweden and Finland to join NATO.
“Putin has sought to convince the world that Russian victory is inevitable. But he lies. He lies to the world. He lies to his people. Perhaps he even lies to himself,” Moore told a news conference.
Referring to the Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov who conditioned dogs to respond to a bell, Moore said a phone call from the Russian president was “the equivalent of Pavlov’s tinkling bell inside the Kremlin, eliciting learned behavior to tell Putin whatever it is the system thinks he want to hear.”
He said that Putin was “mortgaging his country’s future for his own personal legacy and a distorted version of history” and the war was “accelerating this decline.”
Moore, who previously served as the U.K.’s ambassador to Ankara, the Turkish capital, added that “greater powers than Russia have failed to subjugate weaker powers than Ukraine.”
Analysts say Putin believes he can outlast the political commitment of Ukraine’s Western partners and win a protracted war of attrition by wearing down Ukraine’s smaller army with sheer weight of numbers.
Ukraine, meanwhile, is racing to expand its defense cooperation with other countries and secure billions of dollars of investment in its domestic weapons industry.
The spy chief was speaking as MI6 unveiled a dark web portal to allow potential intelligence providers to contact the service. Dubbed “ Silent Courier,” the secure messaging platform aims to recruit new spies for the U.K., including in Russia.
“To those men and women in Russia who have truths to share and the courage to share them, I invite you to contact MI6,” Moore said.
Russian FM Lavrov to meet Rubio at UN next week: Russian state media
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov plans to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly next week, Russia’s U.N. envoy said on Sept. 19.
“There is no agenda yet, but the meeting is planned,” Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s U.N. ambassador, said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel. The news comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s months-long effort to broker a peace deal in Ukraine has made little headway, while Russia continues to reject a ceasefire and intensifies attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The exact date of the meeting was not specified. The high-level week of the U.N.’s 80th General Assembly in New York will run from Sept. 23 to 27, while Lavrov is expected to address the U.N. on Sept. 27.
The U.S. State Department has not commented on the possible meeting.
Russia’s chief diplomat previously met Rubio on Aug. 15 during the Alaska summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump.
Lavrov and Rubio also held talks in Kuala Lumpur on July 10 on the sidelines of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, discussing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend next week’s U.N. Assembly, with both Rubio and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry floating a possible meeting between the Ukrainian president and Trump. -
‘Italy does not forget’: Giorgia Meloni remembers 9/11 victims, vows to continue fight against terrorism
Rome (TIP)- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday paid tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, saying the memory of that day continues to guide Italy’s commitment against terrorism and in defence of democratic values.
In a message posted on X on the 24th anniversary of the attacks, Meloni said, “September 11, 2001, was a date that struck not only the heart of the American people but of the entire West. 24 years have passed since that ferocious terrorist attack and today, as then, my thoughts are directed to the thousands of innocent victims, together with the closeness that, with the entire Italian Government, I wish to express to the families, in the sign of the deep friendship that binds Italy and the United States.”
She wrote that “Italy does not forget,” stressing that the bond between Rome and Washington remains rooted in shared values of freedom and democracy.
The Italian leader also said that the memory of 9/11 “strengthens our daily action in combating Islamic fundamentalism and every terrorist threat.” She added that Italy’s commitment is not only to stand with its allies but also to protect its own constitutional values of liberty and democracy.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday, Sept 9, attended a solemn observance ceremony at the Pentagon to mark the 24th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
The attacks claimed the lives of 2,977 people after hijacked planes struck New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. At Ground Zero in New York, the annual tradition of reading aloud the names of those who perished continues, honouring more than 2,700 victims who died in the collapse of the Twin Towers.
The morning of September 11, 2001, began like any other in New York City. Office workers hurried through crowded streets, tourists paused to admire the skyline, and vendors opened their stalls as sunlight glinted off the glass towers.
The rhythm of daily life seemed unshaken–until the sudden roar of jet engines broke the calm, and a plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, turning an ordinary day into the opening chapter of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil.
After the initial crash, another plane struck the South Tower as onlookers stared at the devastating sight of the two towers turning into rubble in just a few moments. -
‘This place is ours’: Israeli PM Netanyahu signs West Bank settlement expansion plan
Beijing (TIP)- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed an “umbrella agreement” Thursday, Sept 11, officially moving forward with expansion plan that would cut across land that the Palestinians seek for a state.
“There will never be a Palestinian state. This place is ours,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the Maale Adumim settlement in the West Bank where thousands of new housing units would be added.
“We will safeguard our heritage, our land, and our security,” he added.
The office of Prime Minister Netanyahu, confirmed the signing of the deal on X, saying, “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening, at the signing ceremony for the roof agreement in Maale Adumim. There will be no Palestinian state! This place is ours.”
Netanyahu was joined by nationalist members of his coalition, including far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who in August said a Palestinian state “is being erased from the table, not with slogans but with actions.”
Last month, the long overdue East 1 (E1) project, that was stalled amid objections from the US and European government in 2012 and 2020, received final approval from a Defence Ministry planning commission.
Total investment in the project, which will include adding roads and upgrading major infrastructure, is estimated at nearly $1 billion.
The settlement, on a 12-square-kilometre (4.6sq-mile) tract of land east of Jerusalem, is known as “East 1” or “E1”.
The move, coming two days after Israel tried to kill Hamas leaders in Qatar and was roundly condemned, may add to already strained relations with many of its allies.
Restarting the project, which aims to bisect the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem, could further isolate Israel, as many Western allies, including Britain and France, announced they intend to recognise the state of Palestinian at the United Nations General Assembly later this month.
Western governments and advocacy groups have opposed the settlement, expressing concerns that it could jeopardize the prospects of a future peace agreement with the Palestinians.
UN Security Council members condemn Israel over deadly strike on Qatar
The United Nations Security Council has condemned the Israeli attack on the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday and called for de-escalation in a statement agreed by all 15 members, including Israel’s chief ally, the United States.
Council members issued the statement ahead of the emergency meeting on Thursday, which was convened to discuss Israel’s attacks targeting Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, as it ramped up its offensive in Gaza City, forcing more than 200,000 to flee. Five Hamas members were killed, but the Palestinian group said its leadership survived the assassination bid. A Qatari security force member was also killed in the unprecedented attack, which has sent tensions in the region skyrocketing.
Hamas leaders were meeting to discuss a new deal proposed by US President Donald Trump when the attack happened.
“Council members underscored the importance of de-escalation and expressed their solidarity with Qatar,” said the statement, drafted by France and the United Kingdom, which nonetheless stopped short of explicitly mentioning Israel. -
World’s first AI ‘minister’ Diella takes charge in Albania to combat corruption
Tirana (TIP)- Artificial intelligence, which is rapidly spreading across every sector, has now entered politics. Albania has become the first nation to appoint an AI-generated “minister” tasked with tackling corruption.
On Thursday, Sept 11, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that he had appointed the world’s first AI-generated government minister to oversee public tenders, assuring that its artificial intelligence would make the process “corruption-free”, news agency AFP reported.
Revealing his new cabinet during a Socialist Party meeting after a decisive election win in May, Rama introduced the new “member, ” Diella, which in Albanian means “sun.”
“Diella is the first (government) member who is not physically present, but virtually created by artificial intelligence,” Rama said.
Rama, who won a fourth consecutive term in the May elections, is expected to present his new cabinet to the parliament in the coming days.
Diella’s role in public tenders: Prime Minister Rama said that Diella will manage all decisions related to public tenders, ensuring they are “100 per cent corruption-free and every public fund submitted to the tender procedure will be perfectly transparent”.
Origins as a virtual assistant: Diella was initially introduced in January as an AI-powered digital assistant, designed to resemble a woman dressed in traditional Albanian attire. It was meant to help citizens navigate the official e-Albania platform, which offers access to documents and services.
Services already provided: According to government figures quoted by AFP, Diella has so far facilitated the issuing of 36,600 digital documents and delivered nearly 1,000 services via the platform.
Corruption challenges in Albania: Public tenders in Albania have historically been at the centre of corruption scandals. Experts highlight that the country has become a hub for international criminal networks laundering profits from drug and arms trafficking, with corruption reportedly reaching into senior levels of government, according to The Guardian.
Praise from Albanian media: Local media described the appointment of Diella as “a major transformation in the way the Albanian government conceives and exercises administrative power, introducing technology not only as a tool, but also as an active participant in governance”.
Link to EU accession bid: The crackdown on corruption, especially within the public sector, remains a crucial benchmark for Albania’s efforts to join the European Union. -
First ever EU-Egypt summit to take place in Brussels on October 22
The European Council announced Thursday, Sept 11, that the first-ever summit between the European Union and Egypt will be held on October 22 in Brussels. The EU will be represented by European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, while Egypt will be represented by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. According to the Council’s statement, the summit comes within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership established in March 2024 that aims to deepen political and economic cooperation while supporting stability, peace, and shared prosperity.
The summit will also address pressing global issues, including the situation in the Middle East, Russia’s war against Ukraine, as well as multilateralism, trade, migration, and security. -
German extremists charged with planning neo-Nazi state
Berlin (TIP)- German federal prosecutors on Wednesday brought charges against eight suspected members of an far-right extremist group based in the eastern German state of Saxony that was broken up in 2024.
The members of the so-called “Saxony Separatists” are said to have expected the imminent collapse of the German state, and were accused of preparing to violently take over chunks of territory in Saxony after what they referred to as “day X.”
Federal prosecutors charged the eight men with establishment of and membership in a terrorist organization, along with the preparation of a treasonous undertaking, according to German public broadcaster MDR.
State based on Nazi ideology
After “day X,” prosecutors said the group planned to establish an independent state based onNazi ideology, which included “removing” ethnic minorities, along with representatives of the previous state order.
Prosecutors said the group’s training included target practice and paramilitary exercises, during which, for example, house-to-house combat or night marches and forced marches were practiced.
Investigators said searches of premises used by members uncovered knives and machetes, ammunition, combat helmets, camouflage and other equipment.
How was the group uncovered?
The group’s existence became known in November 2024 when it was broken up in a raid by police. The eight defendants were also arrested at the time.
According to the federal prosecutor’s office, the militant group was founded in early February 2020. It most recently had around 20 members.
“Its members are united by a deep rejection of the free democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany,” federal prosecutors said in a November 2024 statement.
“From the group’s point of view, there is no doubt that Germany is on the verge of ‘collapse’ and that, on a still-undetermined ‘day X,’ the state and society will collapse,” it added.
“Even ethnic cleansing was part of their inhuman plans,” former German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said in a statement at the time, adding that the arrests showed the importance of protecting Germany’s free and democratic order from threats “from many sides.”
Three of the group’s members arrested had ties with the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD). Shortly after the arrests, the AfD revoked the suspects’ membership in the party.
One of the men, who was a former local AfD politican, was shot and injured by police during his arrest after he aimed a pistol at officers. He is facing additional charges of attempted murder, MDR reported.
A Dresden court will now decide whether to allow the charges to proceed. According to the federal prosecutor’s office, investigations into other suspected members or supporters are ongoing. -
Brazil’s Supreme Court finds Jair Bolsonaro guilty of coup charges
The majority of a panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices on Thursday, Sept 11, voted to convict former president Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup to remain in office despite his 2022 electoral defeat.
The far-right politician who governed Brazil between 2019 and 2022 was found guilty on five counts by three members of a five-justice panel. The latest to rule was Cármen Lúcia on Thursday, a day after another justice, Luiz Fux, disagreed and voted to acquit the ex-president of all charges.
There is only one pending justice to vote. Once all five justices have voted, the panel will decide on Bolsonaro’s sentence, which could amount to decades in prison.
US President Donald Trump came out in strong defense of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. rump said he was shocked and disappointed by the decision. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he described Bolsonaro as “an outstanding leader” and called the ruling “a terrible thing for Brazil.” Trump added, “I watched that trial. I know him pretty well, a foreign leader. I thought he was a good president of Brazil. And it’s very surprising that that could happen.”
Claiming the charges against Bolsonaro were similar to what he himself has faced, Trump continued, “That’s very much like they tried to do with me, but they didn’t get away with it at all. But I can always say this: I knew him as the president of Brazil. He was a good man, and I don’t see that happening.” -
When determination of an individual triumphed over the might of the mightiest nation of the world
By Prabhjot Singh It is not fiction. It is a real-life drama where an individual, a professional, stood by his ideals and brought the mightiest of the nations of the world on its knees.
It is the story of a doctor of Indian descent who withstood the onslaughts of the criminal system of the most powerful nation of the world, the United States, for a little over three years, before coming out clean of all legal adjudications. He may have suffered immensely, both physically and mentally, but the ultimate triumph, vindication of his professional uprightness, has been so overwhelming that he now wants to share his story with the world.
And the story was narrated by none other than Veteran actor Kabir Bedi “Sandokan” (“Octopussy”) who is all set to play as Dr. Raj Bothra, the hero of USA vs Raj, a biographical drama about an Indian-American surgeon’s three-and-a-half-year imprisonment that ended in full acquittal.
And all these revelations were made as a part of the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival that has brought together the elite and cream of the world cinema on a single platform.
Neha Mehta and Sunil Hali introducing the cast and the authors besides the family members of Dr Raj Botha. The Presser saw Neha Mehta and Sunil Hali introducing the cast and the authors besides the family members of Dr Raj Botha.
Present at the release of “USA vs Raj” biography by Dr Raj Bothra and co-author Jennifer Debellis, were Ramesh Sippy of “Sholay” fame and Hollywood and Bollywood iconic star Kabir Bedi. The story of “wrongful doing of a powerful state that has shaken the foundations of public trust in the justice system with a harrowing account of one of the most shocking false arrests and continuous imprisonment of a doctor of Indian origin, it was announced would be rolled into a film.
Ramesh Sippy releasing the book “USA vs Raj”. L to R: Author of the book, Dr. Raj Bothra, Ramesh Sippy, and Kabir Bedi Emily Shah joins the cast as Sonia Bothra, playing the physician’s daughter who stood by him during the legal battle. The film, an adaption of “USA v/s Raj,” was presented at this year’s Toronto Film Festival by “Sholay” director Ramesh Sippy and “Fire” filmmaker Deepa Mehta.
Interestingly, the film that is all set for a next year release, has Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty of the Slumdog Millionaire fame heading the technical team while Zill-e-Huma, Shubho Deep Pal, Hussain Dalal and Abbas Dalal have been mandated to work on the script of the film.
Prashant Shah of Bollywood Hollywood Productions will work with London’s Twickenham Productions. Sunny Vohra and Superna Sethi of Twickenham Studios will be the executive producers.
The film, directed and shot by Ravi K. Chandran (“Bhramam”) and targeting a summer 2026 release, will tell the story of Dr. Raj Bothra, who faced 54 federal charges at age 79 before being cleared by a unanimous jury verdict in June 2022. The doctor spent more than 1,300 days incarcerated while repeatedly denied bail.
In a powerful and unflinching debut, USA v Raj is set to shake the foundations of public trust in the justice system with a harrowing account of one of the most shocking false arrest and imprisonment cases in recent U.S. history. This tell-all memoir, based on a true story, is more than a personal narrative—it’s a bold exposé on systemic abuse, prosecutorial overreach, and the resilience of the human spirit.
Panelists included, among others, Ramesh Sippy, Kabir Bedi, and Dr. Raj Bothra USA v Raj dares to share the truth behind a nearly four-year-long nightmare endured by a respected Indian-American surgeon and interventional pain specialist who found himself at the center of a federal scandal. Wrongfully indicted, falsely imprisoned for 1,301 days, and subjected to inhumane treatment, Raj fought an uphill battle that culminated in a unanimous jury acquittal—a rare and resounding vindication.
“This isn’t just my story,” says Raj, “it’s the story of what can happen when power goes unchecked, when the government’s obsession with ‘winning’ overrides truth and justice. But it’s also about faith, perseverance, and never giving up—even in the face of darkness.”
From humble beginnings in India to achieving the American dream through hard work and integrity, USA v Raj retraces a journey that was nearly destroyed by a corrupt system. Yet, through the injustice, Raj emerges not broken, but emboldened—an advocate for truth, justice reform, and the protection of the innocent.
This memoir is both a cautionary tale and an inspiring testament to the strength of character in the face of unimaginable adversity. Readers will be gripped by the twists and turns of Raj’s legal and emotional battle, and inspired by his enduring gratitude and unwavering faith.
For two decades Dr Raj spent a month each year in India at his own expense to bring awareness on issues like Drug Abuse, HIV AIDS and Smoking Tobacco. For that he was awarded one of the highest civilian honors- Padma Shri- by the President of India. He produced educational documentaries on HIV AIDS, Smoking. He travelled across the country to bring awareness on these issues. He worked with Mother Teresa and had the opportunity to brief Pope John Paul I at the Vatican on health issues in third world countries. He ran Nargis Dutt Charity Foundation for a decade to provide state of the art medical equipment to multiple hospitals in India. Here in America and in India he participated in political discourses and wrote multiple papers on various medical and political issues.
Ramesh Sippy is speaking on the occasion (Photos by Maninder K. Chandhoke) He worked for two countries he loves most- India and U.S.A. He was wrongly imprisoned by the federal government for 1301 days without trial. On June 29th, 2022 he was acquitted unanimously by a Jury of 12 common men and women. Nothing else was fair or just in the U.S. judicial system. The culture of “Winning At Any Cost” is so pervasive that justice has become blind. This book is to bring awareness and some commonsense proposals to bring in changes that no person has to spend 1301 days and eventually declared innocent by Jury.
Co-author Jenifer DeBellis, is a transformational speaker, PhD candidate, and award-winning author of Warrior Sister, Cut Yourself Free (Library Tales Publishing), New Wilderness (Cornerstone Press), and Blood Sisters (Main Street Rag). She hosts the Restore Your Inner Warrior® Podcast, edits Pink Panther Magazine, and directs the Detroit Writers’ Guild (501c3). She’s featured in Psychology Today and her writing appears in CALYX, Medical Literary Messenger, The Good Men Project, Solstice, and elsewhere. For more information visit JeniferDeBellis.com.
Dr Raj Bothra, who moved to the US, and started practicing medicine, narrated hist story saying one fine morning he was shocked when gun trotting cops told him he was arrested. He was taken to a police station where four other co-accused, too, were brought.
“All were released on bail the same day. They, however, refused me bail not once but nine times and imprisoned me for more than three years without letting me know why I was being singled out as all fellow co-accused very enlarged on bail the first day.
“They wanted to extort a confession out of me that I refused. I stood strong and underwent untold misery and suffering while being imprisoned. I could not trust such a thing could happen in a country like the US. I had one of the largest private practices in the US. The police made 54 charges against me, with each of the charges could send me to imprisonment for 20 years.
“They even tried to pressurize my wife, Pammi, and daughter Sonia but I stood firm. “Ultimately, when the trial went to jury I was acquitted of all charges and came out clean.
“My only question was could the system return my years in prison,” said Dr Raj Bothra at the book release event.
-
Death toll from Afghan quake jumps to over 2,200 as aid agencies seek funds
Jalalabad (TIP)- Hundreds more bodies have been recovered from houses in mountain villages destroyed by a major earthquake in Afghanistan early this week, pushing the death toll to over 2,200, a Taliban government spokesman said Thursday, Sept 4. The shallow, 6.0-magnitude quake struck the mountainous and remote eastern part of the country late Sunday, leveling villages and trapping people under rubble. Most of the casualties have been in Kunar province, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep river valleys separated by high mountains. Some 98 per cent of the buildings in the province were damaged or destroyed, according to an assessment issued Thursday by the Islamic Relief charity. Aid agencies said they were sorely in need of staff and supplies to tend to the region’s survivors.
Muhammad Israel said the quake unleashed a landslide that buried his home, livestock, and belongings in Kunar. All the rocks came down from the mountain,” he said. I barely got my children out of there. … The earthquake jolts are still happening. It is impossible to live there.”
Late Thursday, a 5.6-magnitude quake rattled Jalalabad in Nangarhar province, which is south of the hardest-hit Kunar province, though there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Israel was staying at a UN medical camp in Nurgal, one of the worst-affected districts of Kunar. The situation is also bad for us here, we don’t have shelter and are living under open skies,” he said.
Previous estimates said some 1,400 people were killed. Taliban spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Thursday that the updated death toll was 2,205 and that search and rescue efforts were continuing.
Tents have been set up for people, and the delivery of first aid and emergency supplies is ongoing,” Fitrat said.
The rough terrain is hindering relief efforts. Taliban authorities have deployed helicopters and airdropped army commandos to help survivors. Aid workers have reported walking for hours to reach villages cut off by landslides and rockfall.
Funding cuts are also having an impact on the response. The Norwegian Refugee Council said it had fewer than 450 staff in Afghanistan whereas it had 1,100 in 2023, the date of the last major quake in the country. The council only had one warehouse remaining and no emergency stock.
We will need to purchase items once we get the funding but this will take potentially weeks and people are in need now, said Maisam Shafiey, the communications and advocacy advisor for the council in Afghanistan.
We have only $100,000 available to support emergency response efforts. This leaves an immediate funding gap of $1.9 million,” Shafiey said.
Dr Shamshair Khan, who was attending the injured at the UN camp in Nurgal, said his own condition had deteriorated after seeing the suffering of others.
Neither these medicines are enough nor these services, he said. These people need more medicine and tents. They need food and clean drinking water. These people are in great pain.
Qatar’s minister of state for international cooperation, Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad, arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to oversee the delivery of aid to earthquake victims.
She is the first female minister to visit Afghanistan on a humanitarian mission since the Taliban seized power in 2021, and the first high-ranking foreign official to travel there since the quake.
Aid organisations describe the latest disaster as a crisis within a crisis. Afghanistan was already struggling with drought, a weak economy and the recent return of some 2 million Afghans from neighbouring countries. -
Portugal investigates cause of streetcar crash that killed 16
LISBON/London (TIP)- Investigators sifted through the wreckage of a streetcar in downtown Lisbon on Thursday, trying to determine why the popular tourist attraction derailed during the busy summer season, killing 16 people and injuring 21, five of them seriously. The Elevador da Gloria came off its rails during the evening rush hour on Wednesday when it was packed with locals and international tourists. Officials cordoned off the crash site, and were taking photographs and pulling up a metal cable from beneath the rails that climb one of the Portuguese capital’s steep hills. “This tragedy … goes beyond our borders,” Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said at his official residence, calling it “one of the biggest tragedies of our recent past.” Portugal observed a national day of mourning Thursday.
The electric streetcar, also known as a funicular, provides a short and picturesque trip a few hundred metres up and down a city street. It is harnessed by steel cables, with the descending car helping with its weight to pull up the other one, and can carry more than 40 people.
Officials declined to comment on whether a faulty brake or a snapped cable may have prompted the descending streetcar to careen into a building where the steep road bends.
The Prosecutor General’s office said coroners had so far identified the bodies of five Portuguese, two South Koreans and one Swiss national, without disclosing further details of those killed. Portugal’s judicial police chief, Luis Neves, said there was a “high degree of certainty” that there were also two Canadians, one American, one Ukrainian and one German among the dead, although the identities could not yet be officially confirmed.
15 hospitalised after bus crashes in British capital
Fifteen people were hospitalised on Thursday after a double-decker bus mounted the sidewalk and crashed outside one of London’s busiest railway stations.
Police said another two people were treated by medics at the scene of the crash near Victoria Station. None of the injuries is believed to be life-threatening.
The driver of the Route 24 bus was among the injured in the morning rush-hour collision. -
N Korea wipes traces of Kim after Putin meeting
After Kim Jong-un met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing, North Korean staffers carefully wiped off items touched by the country’s supreme leader, in what analysts say is part of a suite of security measures to counter foreign spies.
Even with the appearance of budding friendship between Kim and Putin, footage on Wednesday showed the reclusive state’s extraordinary measures to conceal any clues about Kim’s health.
In a post on Telegram, Kremlin reporter Alexander Yunashev shared video of Kim’s two staff members meticulously cleaning the room in the Chinese capital where Kim and Putin met for more than two hours.
The chair’s backrest and armrests were scrubbed and a coffee table next to Kim’s chair was also cleaned. Kim’s drinking glass was also removed. “After the negotiations were over, the staff accompanying the head of the DPRK carefully destroyed all traces of Kim’s presence,” the reporter said, referring to North Korea.
After talks in the room, Kim and Putin left for a tea meeting and bid a warm farewell to each other. As during previous foreign trips, Kim packed his own toilet on a signature green train that took him to Beijing to hide health clues, Japan’s Nikkei newspaper reported, citing South Korean and Japanese intelligence agencies.
Such measures are standard protocol since the era of Kim’s predecessor, his father Kim Jong-il, said Michael Madden, a North Korea leadership expert with the US-based Stimson Center. -
Chinese President Xi, Kim hold talks to consolidate relations
Beijing (TIP)- President Xi Jinping reassured Kim Jong-un of North Korea’s enduring importance to China on Thursday, saying Beijing’s position “will not change” as the two leaders met for talks. Kim has been on a rare foreign visit to China, his most important ally, joining Russia’s Vladimir Putin alongside Xi at a massive military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Kim and Xi held talks on Thursday evening at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, where the Chinese president said his country attached “great importance to the traditional friendship” with North Korea. Beijing is “willing to maintain, consolidate and develop” bilateral ties, Xi said according to state news agency Xinhua. “No matter how the international situation changes, this position will not change,” Xi was quoted as saying.
China’s relationship with North Korea was forged in the bloodshed of the Korean War in the 1950s, and Beijing is a vital source of diplomatic, economic and political support for the isolated nuclear state.
But Pyongyang has been moving closer to Russia recently — the two countries signed a mutual defence agreement last year, and North Korean soldiers are fighting in the Ukraine war.
President Xi told Kim on Thursday that China was willing to “enhance high-level exchanges and strategic communication with the DPRK… deepen mutual understanding and friendship, strengthen interactions at all levels, and carry out practical cooperation in various fields”, Xinhua said, using the acronym for North Korea. -
Bulgaria PM denies Russian GPS jamming during von der Leyen’s flight
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov has dismissed speculation that Russia interfered with the GPS signal of a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, saying there was “no evidence” of “prolonged interference or jamming” near Plovdiv airport during her landing.
According to a Euro News report, Zhelyazkov told parliament on Thursday that von der Leyen’s aircraft had not encountered sustained jamming. He later clarified that while “ground instruments” had not detected any disruptions, the possibility of “onboard devices” registering interference could not be ruled out.
The debate comes after the European Commission suggested earlier this week that Bulgarian authorities believed the disruption to von der Leyen’s flight from Warsaw to Plovdiv on Sunday was “due to blatant interference from Russia.”
However, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov contradicted this version, telling local broadcaster bTV that Sofia had never submitted such an assessment to Brussels.
He said aviation officials only passed on a transcript of a pilot-control tower exchange mentioning “minor issues” with GPS, but “it did not mention Russian interference.”
Euro News cited analysts who noted that GPS spoofing — the use of false satellite signals — could have explained the disruption even if no ground-based jamming was detected. -
‘26 nations vow to give Ukraine postwar security guarantees’
Paris (TIP) – Twenty-six nations have pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, which will include an international force on land and sea and in the air, French President Emmanuel Macron said after a summit meeting of Kyiv’s allies on Thursday, Sept 4. Macron said he, fellow European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a call with US President Donald Trump after their summit and US contributions to the guarantees would be finalised in the coming days. The meeting of 35 leaders from the “coalition of the willing” — of mainly European countries — was intended to finalise security guarantees and ask Trump for the backing that Europeans say is vital to make such guarantees viable.
Security guarantees are intended to reassure Ukraine and deter Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, from attacking its neighbour again. “The day the conflict stops, the security guarantees will be deployed,” Macron told a press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris, standing alongside Zelensky.
European officials say peace looks a distant prospect for now but they want to be ready whenever the war ends. They also see the planning of security guarantees as a way to reassure Kyiv of their support and hope Trump will join their efforts.
Macron initially said the 26 nations — which he did not name — would deploy to Ukraine. But he later said some countries would provide guarantees while remaining outside Ukraine, for example by helping to train and equip Kyiv’s forces.
He did not say how many troops would be involved in the guarantees.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made clear she would not send troops to Ukraine but said Italy was open to monitoring a ceasefire and training Ukrainian troops outside the country. France and Britain, which co-chair the coalition of the willing, have indicated they are open to deploying troops to Ukraine after the war ends.
“We are working out which countries will take part in which security component,” Zelensky said. “Twenty-six countries agreed to provide security guarantees. Today, for the first time in a long time, this is the first such serious, very specific substance.”
Europe must stop buying Russian oil, says Trump
On his call with the coalition leaders, Trump said Europe must stop purchasing Russian oil that he said is helping Moscow fund its war against Ukraine, a White House official said. “The president also emphasised that European leaders must place economic pressure on China for funding Russia’s war efforts,” the official said.
Macron said the coalition and the United States had agreed to work more closely on future sanctions, notably on Russia’s oil and gas sector, and on China.
European governments have said European forces in Ukraine would need their own US security guarantees as a “backstop”. Trump has made no explicit commitment to go that far. -
Fashion Stalwart Giorgio Armani Dies At 91
Giorgio Armani, a stalwart of Milan ready-to-wear who revolutionised fashion with unstructured looks, has died at 91. Armani died at home, the fashion house said. The fashion designer failed to appear at his runway shows in June as he was recovering from an undisclosed illness. The fashion house announced in a post on Instagram that the Italian fashion icon had died. “With infinite condolences, the Armani group announces the passing of its inventor, founder and tireless engine: Giorgio Armani.
“Mr Armani, as he was always called with respect and admiration by employees and collaborators, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. Tireless, he has worked until the last days, dedicating himself to the company, to the collections, to the different and always new projects in being and to becoming.
“Over the years, Giorgio Armani has created a vision that has expanded from fashion to every aspect of life, anticipating the times with extraordinary clarity and precision. He was driven by an inexorable curiosity, attention for the present and people. In this journey he created an open dialogue with the public, becoming a beloved and respected figure for his ability to communicate with everyone. Always attentive to the needs of the community, he has committed himself on many fronts, above all to his beloved Milan.
“Giorgio Armani is a company with fifty years of history, grown with emotion and patience. Giorgio Armani has always made independence, thought and action, his hallmark. The company is a reflection, today and always, of this feeling. The family and employees will carry the Group forward in respect and continuity of these values.
“The funeral chamber will be ready from Saturday, September 6, and will be available until Sunday, September 7, from 9 am to 6 pm, in Milan, in Via Bergognone 59, near the Armani/Teatro. Due to the expressed will of Mr Armani, the funerals will take place privately,” read the post.
Giorgio Armani was planning a major event to celebrate 50 years of his signature Giorgio Armani fashion house during Milan Fashion Week this month.
Over the years, Armani built a $10-billion fashion empire. Giorgio Armani had no children, but was very close to his niece Roberta. Roberta is the daughter of his late brother Sergio.
Roberta had a budding film career that she abandoned to become her unlce’s director of public relations. She often represented Giorgio Armani, who largely stayed away from parties, at social events. In the later years, Roberta was a key person between the brand and the celebrity world.
In 2006, Roberta orchestrated the much-talked-about wedding of Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in a medieval castle outside Rome. Giorgio Armani designed the attire for both Cruise and Holmes. -
Putin chides Trump for pressuring India, China
Russian President Vladimir Putin has reprimanded his US counterpart Donald Trump for attempting to exert colonial-era pressure tactics on leaders of “powerful economies” like India and China, saying that is not the way to deal with the “partners”. “Powerful economies” like India and China, with heavy populations, have their domestic political mechanism and laws, Putin, who attended China’s victory parade, told the media in Beijing on Wednesday. “When somebody tells you, they are going to punish you, you have to think about the leadership of those countries, those big courtiers, which have difficult periods of their history too, will react,” the Russian president said.
These countries had to deal with colonialists, with attacks on their sovereignty for long periods of time, he added. “You have to understand that if one of them shows weakness, his political career will be over, so that influences his behaviour,” he said.Trump singled out India and clamped 50% tariffs for buying Russian oil. He initially imposed 145% tariffs on China and later climbed down and struck an interim deal with Beijing, reducing tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, and Chinese tariffs on US goods fell from 125% to 10%.
-
Sukhmani Haven is a ray of hope for international girl students
By Prabhjot Singh Tightening immigration controls, shrinking college and university seats, inflation, social unrest, ever-increasing unemployment, and you name a problem, international students are facing all of them. With odds heavily stacked against them, they have not given up hope of making Canada their new home. Their optimism comes mainly from institutions like Sukhmani Haven that have decided to apply the social and financial balm that these students desperately need by advocating for their social and financial support.
Sukhmani Haven has been providing international students in Ontario with accommodation, financial support, necessities of life, community counselling, a Help Line, besides advocating for fair employment policies, protection from exploitation, government funding for social infrastructure, reduction of tuition, and reform of roles of agents.
Spearheaded by over a dozen dedicated volunteers, who run Sukhmani Haven, a Mississauga-based organization that rents a duplex home in Brampton to house a group of international girl students for free. But for the Sukhmani Haven help, they would wander the streets, scan through newspapers and ethnic media columns before applying to rent different houses, mostly basements and receiving dozens of rejections before eventually signing a lease.
Sukhmani Haven started some years ago. And since its inception, it has been inviting applications from needy students, and after scrutinizing them, it tries to accommodate them all.
Besides the contributions and efforts of Directors, Sukhmani Haven initially hosted a fundraiser dinner in 2022, which allowed the charity to house 34 students on a short and long-term basis, in addition to providing some with financial aid, tuition bursaries, pro bono legal services and support via a crisis hotline.
Satwant Singh Gosal, an experienced commercial lawyer; Baljit Singh Sikand, a successful businessman; Bhagwan Grewal, an IT expert in financial management; Deepa Mattoo, a lawyer and Executive Director at the Barbra Schleifer Commemorative Clinic; Dr Gurcharan Singh Syan, who retired as an internal medicine specialist; Harlene Bajwa, a criminal law specialist; Pawanjeet Garewal, a community leader and progressive thinker; and Lovely Virdi, a dedicated social worker, form the nucleus of Sukhmani Haven that continues to spread its message of doing good for needy international students who find themselves to be “aliens” on a foreign land.
The number of beneficiary girls has been growing steadily.
Canada, says Baljit Singh Sikand, experienced a tremendous boom in international students over the last decade. Many of these students hail from Punjab. In 2016, there were 22,970 non-permanent residents in Peel – 1.7% of Peel’s total population. Attracted by the prospect of a future in a rich country, students from Punjab receive initial funding from their parents, many of whom are of modest backgrounds and have sold some of their property or gone into considerable debt to fund the education of their children.
The majority of the students use agents who are paid commissions by institutions in Canada. The information as to the ability of the students to earn a decent living to cover their expenses, and the prospect of decent employment, is often false. What started as a journey of hope for the future often results in a path fraught with despair. The students find themselves unable to make ends meet, especially living in Ontario, which has some of the most unaffordable housing in the world. Some of the students -especially women -find themselves economically and physically vulnerable, facing harassment and abuse at work.
Post-secondary institutions have garnered substantial revenues and yet have failed to provide the necessary social infrastructure to support the students from whom they profit immensely. Sukhmani has decided to apply the social and financial balm that these students desperately need by advocating for their social and financial support.
Members of Sukhmani Haven say “we honor and acknowledge the land on which we are on which constitutes the present-day City of Mississauga. This land has been the site of human activity since time immemorial. It is the traditional territories of the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River First Nations.
“Ontario is covered by 46 treaties and other agreements and is home to many Indigenous Nations from across Turtle Island, including the Inuit and the Metis. These treaties and other agreements, including the One Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, are agreements to peaceably share and care for the land and its resources. Other Indigenous Nations, Europeans, and newcomers were invited into this covenant in the spirit of respect, peace, and friendship. We are mindful of broken covenants, and we strive to make this right, with the land and with each other,” they add.
But the organization says Baljit Singh Sikand, a former Indian hockey player and accomplished businessman, is concerned about its ability to keep up, which worries those for whom it is a lifeline. It is now planning its annual fundraiser on September 10 with a fond hope of continuing its good work with redoubled vigor.
Rapidly changing geopolitical scenarios, tightening immigration controls, and problems exacerbated by the tariff wars have been adding to the agony of hard-pressed international students.
International students pay four times more in tuition than domestic students. Going by media reports, colleges and governments are not providing wrap-around services like housing, food and job referrals. The problem is further exacerbated by provinces’ underfunding of post-secondary education.
International students make up 68 per cent of tuition revenue at 24 Ontario colleges, and over 90 per cent at some Northern Ontario colleges, according to a 2021 provincial auditor general report.
International students from India alone contributed $2 billion to Ontario’s post-secondary institutions’ operating income last year, compared to roughly $1.8 billion the provincial government contributed, according to a September 2023 report by consulting firm Higher Education Strategy Associates.
The Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities had said in a Press statement in January last year that the province was looking into requiring all colleges and universities to have guaranteed housing options for incoming international students.
Until late last year, there was strong criticism of the federal government for bringing in record-high numbers of international students — 800,000 in 2022, then 900,000 in 2023 — without making sure there was adequate housing.
“There’s not a lot of rental spaces available, or they’re available at such a high price that basically you get priced out.”
The IRCC says non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for the Affordable Housing Fund to construct, maintain, and repair affordable housing and shelter spaces.
(Prabhjot Singh is a Toronto-based award-winning independent journalist. He was celebrated by AIPS, the international body of sports journalists, for covering ten Olympics, at its centennial celebrations held at UNESCO Centre in Paris during the 2024 Olympic Games. Besides, he has written extensively about business and the financial markets, the health industry, the public and private sectors, and aviation. He has worked as a political reporter besides covering Sikh and Punjab politics. He is particularly interested in Indian Diaspora and Sikh Diaspora in particular. His work has also appeared in various international and national newspapers, magazines, and journals. He can be reached at prabhjot416@gmail.com)
-
Russian strikes on Ukraine kill 21, drawing global condemnation
KYIV/washington (TIP)- World leaders condemned Russia’s massive missile and drone strikes that killed at least 21 people, wounding 48 and damaging European Union’s mission and British Council offices in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on Thursday, Aug 28.
Thursday’s attack was the first major combined Russian mass drone and missile attack to strike Kyiv since US President Donald Trump met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska earlier this month to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.
President Trump was unhappy but not surprised by Russia’s deadly strikes on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, the White House said, while urging “both sides” to end the war started by Moscow’s invasion.
“He was not happy about this news, but he was also not surprised. These are two countries that have been at war for a very long time,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt told a briefing.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Putin was “sabotaging” hopes of peace following the “senseless” strikes. The Russian ambassador to London was summoned to the foreign office.
“Russia chooses ballistics instead of the negotiating table,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X following the attack. “We expect a response from everyone in the world who has called for peace but now more often stays silent rather than taking principled positions.”
European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said two strikes landed 20 seconds apart about 50 metres from the EU Mission to Ukraine building in Kyiv. She said no staff were injured in the strike.
“Just spoke with President Zelensky, then President Trump, following the massive strike on Kyiv which also hit our EU offices. Putin must come to the negotiating table,” European Commission head von der Leyen wrote on X.
“No diplomatic mission should ever be a target. In response, we are summoning the Russian envoy in Brussels,” Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said Thursday in a post on X.
The British Council, which promotes cultural relations and educational opportunities, also said its Kyiv office had been “severely damaged” in the attack and was closed to visitors until further notice.
Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine slammed Russian strikes on Kyiv, saying they threatened the US president’s proposals to end the Ukraine war. “These egregious attacks threaten the peace that @POTUS is pursuing,” Keith Kellogg said on X, noting that they hit “innocent civilians” and EU and British missions in the Ukrainian capital.
Russia’s latest strikes on Kyiv show that it is not interested in negotiating an end to the war in Ukraine, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that “Russia showed its true face” in its latest overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. -
Israeli FM says there will be no Palestinian state
Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar, asked what the plan was for a Palestinian state, said there would not be any. Saar made the comment to reporters following a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington that the foreign minister described as “very good”.
Meanwhile, Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich on Thursday called on the government to begin annexing parts of the Gaza Strip if Palestinian militant group Hamas stands by its refusal to lay down its weapons.
16 killed in Gaza
Israeli forces killed at least 16 Palestinians across Gaza on Thursday and wounded dozens in the south of the enclave, local medics said, as residents reported that Gaza City suburbs were under intensifying bombardment.
The Israeli military is preparing to seize Gaza City, the territory’s largest urban centre, despite international calls on Israel to desist over fears that a ground offensive would cause significant casualties and displace the roughly one million Palestinians sheltering there.
In Gaza City residents said families were fleeing their homes, with most heading towards the coast, as Israeli forces shelled the eastern suburbs of Shejaia, Zeitoun, and Sabra. Thursday’s deaths took to 71 the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in the past 24 hours, Gaza’s health ministry said.
‘Gaza at breaking point’
Cindy McCain, the head of the UN’s World Food Programme warned on Thursday that famine-hit Gaza is “at breaking point”, appealing for the urgent revival of its network of 200 food distribution points. -
Taiwan detects Chinese military presence around strait
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense detected the presence of 41 Chinse military aircraft, seven naval vessels and an official ship operating around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) Thursday, Aug 28. As per Taiwan’s MND, of the 41 sorties, 21 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, and southwestern ADIZ.
In a post on X, the MND said, “41 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 24 out of 41 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, central, and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Aug 27, Taiwan’s MND recorded 23 sorties of PLA aircraft, seven PLAN vessels and an official ship operating around its territory. MND said that 16 out of 23 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern ADIZ.
In a post on X, it said, “23 sorties of PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 16 out of 23 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded.”
Earlier, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung had named China a “regional troublemaker” after the Solomon Islands barred Taiwan and other dialogue partners, including the US, from the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting, Taipei Times reported, citing an Australian daily.
Citing the “Pacific Way” of inclusiveness, Lin warned that excluding dialogue partners undermines the forum’s ability to address common challenges, as per Taipei Times.
Rejecting Beijing’s claims over Taiwan, Lin underlined that the People’s Republic of China “has never ruled Taiwan for even a single day,” and noted that UN Resolution 2758 makes no reference to Taiwan, according to Taipei Times. -
Argentina eases entry rules for Indian citizens with US visas
Buenos Aires (TIP)- Argentina’s Ambassador to India Mariano Caucino on Wednesday, Aug 27, announced that the country has relaxed visa rules for Indian citizens holding valid US visas.
According to a resolution published in the official gazette, Indian nationals with tourist visas to the United States will now be able to enter Argentina without having to apply separately for an Argentine visa. Welcoming the development in a post on X, Ambassador Caucino said, “The Argentine Government has eased entry into the country for Indian citizens with US visas. The resolution published in the Official Gazette allows Indian citizens with tourist visas to enter the United States without needing to apply for an Argentine visa. This is a wonderful news for both Argentina and India. We’re ready to welcome more Indian tourists into our wonderful country.”
The visa announcement comes at a time when India and Argentina are stepping up cooperation in multiple areas.
In July, the two sides held the 2nd Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Agriculture in New Delhi, where officials, including Indian Co-chair Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, took part virtually. Both developments highlight the growing engagement between the two countries.
According to a release from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the meeting was co-chaired by Sergio Iraeta, Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, from the Argentine side. Both sides underscored the significance of the meeting as a key milestone in deepening bilateral cooperation in the fields of agriculture and allied sectors.
During the meeting, Devesh Chaturvedi highlighted that Argentina is a crucial partner for India. He said that the partnership between the two countries is rooted in a spirit of collaboration, sharing knowledge, technologies, and best practices that benefit both nations. He emphasised that opportunities exist in areas such as agricultural mechanisation, pest control, climate-resilient agriculture, and joint research.
In response, Sergio Iraeta underscored Argentina’s commitment to strengthening its valued partnership with India. He highlighted Argentina’s strong interest in deepening cooperation in key areas such as agricultural mechanisation, genome editing, and plant breeding technologies, among others. He further emphasised that both countries, with their rich agricultural experience, have the potential to complement each other in enhancing productivity, promoting mechanisation, and improving farmers’ welfare.
Adding further context, Muktanand Agrawal, Joint Secretary (Plant Protection), DA&FW, provided an overview of the agriculture and allied sectors, emphasising India’s remarkable agricultural achievements. He highlighted a series of innovative initiatives launched by the government to strengthen the agricultural sector, which included the use of digital solutions, promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices, risk mitigation, and credit to the farmers.
Both sides also discussed key issues related to cooperation in horticulture, the value chain of oilseed and pulse cultivation, mechanisation, precision agriculture, carbon credit for farmers, biopesticides, locust control and management, new breeding technologies, and market access, among other issues.