EU Probes Facebook, Instagram Over Disinformation Concerns

The EU on Tuesday launched an investigation into Meta's Facebook and Instagram over concerns the platforms are failing to counter disinformation ahead of EU elections in June.

The probe is under the EU's new Digital Services Act, a landmark law that cracks down on illegal content online and forces the world's biggest tech companies to do more to protect users online.

The European Commission said it suspected Meta's moderation of adverts was "insufficient" and that an increase in paid spots in those conditions could harm "electoral processes and fundamental rights, including consumer protection rights".

EU leaders are especially worried about Russian attempts to manipulate public opinion and undermine European democracy.

The probe seeks "to make sure that effective actions are taken in particular to prevent that Instagram's and Facebook's vulnerabilities are exploited by foreign interference," EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton said.

"We suspect that Meta's moderation is insufficient, that it lacks transparency of advertisements and content moderation procedures," commission executive vice president Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

Facebook and Instagram are among 23 "very large" online platforms that must comply with the DSA or risk fines up running up to six percent of a platform's global turnover, or even a ban for egregious cases.

Other platforms include Amazon, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

Meta did not comment on the investigation's focus, instead stating more generally that the US company had "a well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms".

A Meta spokesperson added: "We look forward to continuing our cooperation with the European Commission and providing them with further details of this work."

Meta's wide reach

Brussels is especially concerned that Meta does not have an "effective" tool in place to monitor elections ahead of EU-wide polls June 6 to 9.

It pointed to Meta's decision to shut down CrowdTangle, a digital tool considered vital in tracking viral falsehoods.

Meta has said it will replace CrowdTangle with a new Content Library, a technology still under development.

The commission said the company had five working days to explain what actions it has taken to mitigate the risks from decommissioning CrowdTangle.

The EU's concern arises from the Meta platforms' reach in the 450-million strong bloc. Both platforms have more than 260 million monthly active users respectively.

The focus of the EU investigation is wide, and also includes Meta's move to reduce political content in Facebook and Instagram's recommender systems.

Brussels fears this could be in violation with the DSA's rules on transparency.

The EU also suspects that Meta's mechanism to flag illegal content is not sufficiently easy to access or user-friendly, the commission said.

There is no deadline by which the probe must end.

AFP currently works in 26 languages with Facebook's fact-checking programme, in which Facebook pays to use fact checks from around 80 organisations globally on its platform, on WhatsApp and on Instagram.

Multiple probes

The DSA is one law in a bolstered EU legal armoury to bring big tech to heel.

Brussels has shown it is is willing to flex its legal muscle under the DSA, opening investigations into Elon Musk's X, TikTok and Chinese retailer AliExpress.

TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, bowed to pressure from the commission last week and suspended a rewards programme on its spinoff Lite app in France and Spain after Brussels threatened a suspension.

Another regulation is the political advertising law that will complement the DSA when most of its provisions will enter into force in late 2025.

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Indian Couple Gets Rs 2 Lakh After Business Class Seats Didn't Recline

Singapore Airlines has been ordered to pay more than 2,040 pounds (INR 213,585) to an Indian couple who said their business-class seats malfunctioned, New York Post reported. Ravi Gupta, a police chief from Telangana, was flying with his wife on a flight from Hyderabad to Australia, which transited through Singapore. They paid 66,750 rupees (about $800) for each business-class seat. Notably, the incident happened last year in May. 

The couple complained that their seats' automatic recline feature didn't work. Instead, the seats could only be manually reclined, leaving them frustrated during their five-hour trip. When they complained, they were offered 10,000 frequent flyer miles or loyalty points each. However, they declined the offer and sued Singapore Airlines.

In court documents, the Guptas accused Singapore Airlines of making them feel like lowly ''economy-class passengers'' despite them paying for spacious business-class accommodation. They also said they were forced to stay awake throughout the journey as a result. 

Last week, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Telangana, ruled in the couple's favour and ordered Singapore Airlines to pay them $2,400 ''for causing mental agony and physical suffering.''

In a statement to The Independent, Singapore Airlines did confirm the ''faulty'' automatic recline ability in their seats. 

“SIA can confirm that while the automatic recline function on Mr and Mrs Gupta's seats was faulty, the manual recline function was working on their flight from Hyderabad to Singapore. There were no issues on their connecting flight from Singapore to Perth,'' a spokesperson told The Independent. 

''The flight duration from Hyderabad to Singapore is typically around four hours. As it was a full flight, SIA staff, unfortunately, could not reseat the customers elsewhere in the Business Class cabin. Our crew proactively checked in on these customers regularly and offered to manually recline the seat when needed. We apologise to Mr and Mrs Gupta for the inconvenience caused by this mechanical issue,'' the statement added. 

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Multiple Law Enforcement Officers Shot In US' North Carolina: Cops

Multiple law enforcement officers have been shot in Charlotte, North Carolina, local police said on Monday, in what they described as an "active" scene.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a written statement that the shooting began in northeast Charlotte as officers from a U.S. Marshall's Task Force, comprised of officers from multiple agencies, were carrying out an investigation.

"Multiple law enforcement officers have been struck by the gunfire and are being transported to the hospital," the police department said on social media.

There was no official word on the injuries, though some local news outlets, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, were reporting that at least one officer had died.

The police statement said a SWAT team "is currently working on the scene."

Police said they would hold a news conference "as soon as the situation stabilizes."

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US Says 5 Israel Army Units Committed "Gross Violations" Before Gaza War

The U.S. State Department found five units of the Israeli military responsible for gross violations of human rights in incidents that took place outside of Gaza before conflict broke out between Israel and Hamas in October, the State Department said on Monday.

Four of the units have effectively remediated the violations, while Israel has submitted additional information regarding the fifth unit and the U.S. is continuing conversations with the government, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.

U.S. weapons sales to the units will not be affected, Patel said. He declined to offer specifics on what violations of human rights were committed, which units were involved or what remediation steps were taken.

"After a careful process, we found five Israeli units responsible for individual incidents of gross violations of human rights. All of these were incidents much before October 7th and none took place in Gaza," Patel said.

"Four of these units have effectively remediated these violations, which is what we expect partners to do... For a remaining unit, we continue to be in consultations and engagements with the government of Israel."

Israel's military conduct has come under increasing scrutiny as its forces have killed some 34,500 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the enclave's health authorities, many of them women and children. The Gaza Strip has been reduced to a wasteland, and extreme food shortages have prompted fears of famine.

The Israeli assault was launched in response to the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and scores of hostages taken.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this month said he has made "determinations" regarding accusations that Israel violated a set of U.S. laws that prohibit providing military assistance to individuals or security force units that commit gross violations of human rights.

The Leahy Laws, authored by U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy in the late 1990s, prohibit providing military assistance to individuals or security force units that commit gross violations of human rights and have not been brought to justice.

A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday that the United States has received new information from the Israeli authorities about a specific Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) unit that Washington was reportedly going to designate for human rights allegations in the West Bank.

In light of the new information, Washington is looking into whether the unit is on a path to remediation, the source said.

The specific unit involved, the Netzah Yehuda battalion, was set up in 1999 to accommodate the religious beliefs of ultra-Orthodox Jews and other religious nationalist recruits in the army.

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US Supreme Court Declines To Hear Elon Musk's Appeal Over Tesla Posts

The US Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal by Elon Musk of a settlement that requires the billionaire to have some of his social media posts about Tesla pre-approved by a company lawyer.

The nation's highest court rejected the Tesla and X owner's appeal without comment.

Musk was seeking to overturn restrictions imposed on him by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) following a 2018 post on Twitter, now X.

In the tweet, Musk said he had acquired funding to take Tesla private, which caused a spike in the company's stock price, but he did not provide any proof or file paperwork with the SEC.

The tweet was ruled to be "false and misleading" and shareholders accused Tesla of securities fraud.

The SEC ordered Musk to step down as chair of Tesla's board of directors and pay a $20 million fine.

The government agency also required that Musk's social media posts directly related to the business of the electric vehicle company be vetted by a lawyer.

The billionaire filed a petition with the Supreme Court in December seeking to undo the agreement, claiming it was an unconstitutional infringement of his right to free speech.

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As Tourists Move In, Italians Are Squeezed On This Holiday Island Of Capri

Famed for its blue seas, breathtaking views and cove-studded coastline, the Mediterranean island of Capri has been a tourist haven since the early years of the Roman Empire.

Unlike in the imperial heyday, when emperors made it their exclusive playground, Capri now attracts visitors from around the world, clogging its narrow alleys, packing the piazzas and blocking the beaches during the hot summer months.

As many as 16,000 tourists a day pour onto the rocky isle in peak season, outnumbering the 12,900 residents. Most are day trippers, but increasing numbers stay the night as ever more homes are given over to holiday lets, bringing its own problems.

"Capri is becoming a dormitory for tourists," said Teodorico Boniello, head of the local consumers' association. "There are more people coming than we can cope with and families can't set down roots because they can't afford to stay."

Capri is a microcosm of many European holiday hotspots. Locals depend on visitors for their livelihoods, but the advent of mass tourism risks turning their picture-perfect beauty spots into blobs of shuffling humanity.

Some Italian towns and islands are starting to push back, albeit gently.

Venice last week became the first city in the world to introduce an entrance fee for visitors in peak periods, Florence has banned new holiday lets in the city centre and the Cinque Terre park on the Italian Riviera started charging 15 euros for access to a popular coastal footpath to tackle overcrowding.

Capri has doubled its own visitors' fee from 2.5 euros to 5 euros, which outsiders pay when they catch a ferry from nearby Naples or Sorrento from April through to October.

"We are looking to persuade more people to visit during winter," Capri Mayor Marino Lembo told Reuters, sitting in his office with the smog of Naples hanging far in the distance.

But such a fee looks unlikely to dissuade tourists from travelling to an island which has more than four million tagged photos on Instagram, drawing in an endless flow of visitors eager to add the same views to their social media pages.

Moreover, locals say it will do nothing to help ease the housing crisis, which forces many essential workers, including teachers and medics, to live on the mainland.

Early Starts

Antonio De Chiara, 22, wakes up every morning at 5.20 a.m. in his hometown near Naples in order to be sure to catch the 7.00 a.m. ferry, which takes 50 minutes to reach Capri. Around 400 other commuters join him on the ride across the bay.

Barely out of Naples, those on a tight schedule start queuing in the aisles to ensure they are first off the boat to grab a seat on one of a handful of small buses that head up the hill to town. Stragglers risk a lengthy wait.

"It would be lovely to live in Capri, but it is very difficult. Even if I could find a place, the rent would take up all my salary," said De Chiara, who recently got a job as a child therapist on the island.

Stefano Busiello, 54, teaches maths in a Capri high school but lives in Naples and has commuted back and forth for 20 years. "I have never even tried to find a house here. I could never afford one and things are getting harder."

Only 20% of staff in his school actually live on Capri, he said, with everyone else arriving on the ferries -- a daily grind that means most of his colleagues stay no more than two or three years before seeking a transfer to mainland schools.

Roberto Faravelli, who runs a Bed and Breakfast near the port, says people like himself might be willing to rent their properties to workers if the region offered incentives to close the gap on lucrative holiday lets.

"The government needs to encourage homeowners to offer long-term rents. What we lack is anyone trying to resolve these problems," he said.

But mayor Lembo did not expect the authorities to intervene. "It is unfortunate, but this is the market economy at work."

Post-Covid Surge

Vacation rental platform Airbnb lists more than 500 properties on Capri against around 110 in 2016. This is just the tip of the iceberg, with local families renting out their properties during the summer months on unregulated portals.

"This short-term rental market is chaotic. There are no controls," said Lembo.

Despite obvious resentment over the lack of viable housing, Capri has not yet witnessed the sort of protests seen elsewhere -- such as Spain's Canary Islands, where thousands took to the streets this month to demand limits on tourist arrivals.

The end of the COVID pandemic has seen tourism surge across Europe as global travellers seek to make up for lost time.

Italy had near record overnight stays in 2023, according to data collated by the Florence centre of tourism studies, and was the 5th most visited country in the world in 2023, with tourists drawn to its quaint villages and culture-rich cities.

But none were built for mass travel.

In the morning during high season, a fleet of ferries disgorge up to 5,000 visitors into Capri's tiny port in just two hours. Everyone wants to head up to the town of Capri and the smaller Anacapri, but the buses can only carry 30 people at a time and the funicular 50.

"You can easily wait two or even three hours to get up the hill in summer. The quays get packed. Noone can move," said Boniello, flicking through videos on his phone of people crammed one against the other.

Lembo acknowledges the problems, but denies tourism is ruining an island his ancestors have lived on for centuries. "I don't agree with nostalgics who say Capri was more beautiful 100 years ago. There was misery and poverty back then. Now there is wealth, and that is thanks to tourism."

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White House Urges "Peaceful" Campus Protests After Hundreds Arrested

The White House insisted Sunday that pro-Palestinian protests that have rocked US universities in recent weeks must remain peaceful, after police arrested around 275 people on four separate campuses over the weekend.

"We certainly respect the right of peaceful protests," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABC's "This Week."

But, he added, "we absolutely condemn the anti-Semitism language that we've heard of late and certainly condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there."

The wave of demonstrations began at Columbia University in New York but they have since spread rapidly across the country.

While peace has prevailed in many campuses, the number of protesters detained -- at times by police in riot gear using chemical irritants and tasers -- is rising fast.

They include 100 at Northeastern University in Boston, 80 at Washington University in St Louis, 72 at Arizona State University and 23 at Indiana University.

Among those arrested at Washington University was Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, who faulted police for aggressive tactics she said provoked the sort of trouble they are meant to quell.

"This is about freedom of speech... on a very critical issue," she told CNN shortly before her arrest Saturday. "And there they are, sending in the riot police and basically creating a riot."

College administrators have struggled to find the best response, caught between the need to respect free-speech rights and the imperative of containing inflammatory and sometimes violently anti-Semitic calls by protesters.

At the University of Southern California, school officials late Saturday closed the main campus to the public after pro-Palestinian groups again set up an encampment that had been cleared earlier, the school announced on X.

With final exams coming in the next few weeks, some campuses -- including the Humboldt campus of California State Polytechnic University, have closed and instructed students to complete their classes online.

The activists behind the campus protests -- not all of them students -- are calling for a ceasefire in Israel's war with Hamas, and want colleges to sever ties with Israel.

Hamas operatives staged an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 that left around 1,170 people dead, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Palestinian operatives also took roughly 250 people hostage. Israel estimates 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,454 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

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Will Suspend Rafah Ops If There Will Be Hostage Deal: Israel Minister

Israel's foreign minister said on Saturday that a planned incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah could be suspended should a deal emerge to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

The comments came as international mediators push for a deal to achieve a ceasefire in the six months of devastating fighting in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages taken during Hamas' Oct. 7 assault that sparked the war.

"The release of the hostages is the top priority for us," Foreign Minister Israel Katz said during an interview with local Channel 12 television.

Asked if that included putting off a planned operation to eliminate Hamas battalions in the city of Rafah, Katz answered, "Yes."

He went on to say: "If there will be a deal, we will suspend the operation."

Though Katz is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, he is not a member of the narrow-forum war cabinet overseeing the Gaza offensive.

Israel, which launched its war to annihilate Hamas after the Islamist group's Oct. 7 attacks on Israeli towns, says Rafah is home to four Hamas combat battalions reinforced by thousands of retreating fighters, and it must defeat them to achieve victory.

But Rafah, which abuts the Egyptian border, is sheltering more than a million Palestinians who fled the Israeli offensive through the rest of Gaza and say the prospect of fleeing yet again is terrifying.

Earlier on Saturday, Hamas said it had received Israel's official response to its latest ceasefire proposal in Egyptian- and Qatari-mediated negotiations and will study it before submitting its reply.

On Thursday, the United States and 17 other countries appealed to Hamas to release all of its hostages as a pathway to end the crisis.

Hamas wants to parlay any deal into a permanent end to the fighting - short of a formal peace, as the Islamist group is sworn to Israel's destruction. Israel plans to pursue the war until Hamas's governing and military capacities are dismantled.

More than 130 hostages are still being held in Gaza captivity, including women and children.

As Hamas issued a new video showing two of the hostages pleading for their release and sending love to their families, thousands of Israelis gathered in Tel Aviv in protest, demanding that the government do more to secure their release.

Some 1,200 people were killed on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies, in the deadliest single attack in Israel's history. Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

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Antony Blinken To Travel To Saudi Next Week For Gaza Ceasefire Talks

U.S. Secretary for State Antony Blinken will visit Saudi Arabia on Monday and Tuesday to meet with regional partners and discuss efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages, the State Department said on Saturday.

"He will discuss the recent increase in humanitarian assistance being delivered to Gaza and underscore the importance of ensuring that increase is sustained," the State Department said in a statement.

"The Secretary will also emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel."
 

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In Beijing, Blinken Says China Attempts To Interfere Upcoming US Elections

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while closing his three-day trip to China, said that the US has seen evidence of Chinese attempts to "influence and arguably interfere" with the upcoming US elections, despite Chinese President Xi Jinping's earlier commitment to not do so, reported CNN.

Blinken made the comments in an interview with CNN on Friday while ending his visit to China, where the top American diplomat spent hours meeting with top Chinese officials, including Xi, as the two countries navigated a raft of contentious issues, from US tech controls to Beijing's support for Moscow.

Blinken said he reiterated President Joe Biden's message, which he gave to Xi Jinping during their summit in San Francisco last November, to not interfere in the 2024 US presidential elections.

Following which, Xi pledged that China would not do so, according to CNN.

"We have seen, generally speaking, evidence of attempts to influence and arguably interfere, and we want to make sure that that's cut off as quickly as possible," Blinken said when asked whether China was violating Xi's commitment to Biden so far.

"Any interference by China in our election is something that we're looking very carefully at and is totally unacceptable to us, so I wanted to make sure that they heard that message again," he added.

Blinken further noted that there were concerns about China and other countries playing on existing social divisions in the US in influence campaigns, as reported by CNN.

Beijing has repeatedly said that it does not interfere in US elections, based on its principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs.

However, China or other nations that are believed to be affiliated with Beijing have been accused of political interference in other countries, such as Canada, according to CNN.

Blinken's trip, marking his second visit to the country in less than a year, is the latest in a string of high-level engagements that culminated in the Biden-Xi summit late last year and have seen the two countries start to expand what had been severely diminished bilateral communications.

"We are (now) focused on areas where we're working to cooperate, but also we're being very forthright about our differences and that's important if we're going to avoid the competition we're in turning into conflict," Blinken said.

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TikTok General Counsel To Step Down, Will Focus On Fighting US Law

Erich Andersen, general counsel for TikTok and Chinese parent company ByteDance, said on Friday he will step down from the role in June, according to a company statement.

Andersen will become special counsel to the company to focus on helping lead TikTok's effort to overturn legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday that gives ByteDance 270 days to divest short-video app TikTok in the United States or face a ban.

TikTok said this week it plans to file a lawsuit to challenge the legislation, but has declined to say when it plans to do so.

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6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Taiwan, No Immediate Damage Reported

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck just off Taiwan's eastern county of Hualien on Saturday, the island's weather administration said, with no immediate reports of damage.

The quake shook buildings in the capital, Taipei. The quake had a depth of 24.9 km (15.5 miles), the weather administration said.

Taiwan has been hit by more than 1,000 aftershocks since a 7.2 magnitude quake struck Hualien earlier this month, killing 17 people.

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"China Willing To Cooperate, But...": Xi Jinping Tells Antony Blinken

China is willing to cooperate with the United States, but the cooperation should be a "two-way street", Chinese President Xi Jinping told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the meeting in Beijing on Friday.

Stating that the multiplicity and complexity of the challenges globally require the US and China to work together, President Xi affirmed that Beijing and Washington should be partners rather than rivals.

"China is willing to cooperate, but cooperation should be a two-way street. China is not afraid of competition, but competition should be about progressing together instead of playing a zero-sum game. China is committed to non-alliance, and the US should not create small blocs. While each side can have its friends and partners, it should not target, oppose or harm the other," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

China welcomes a confident, open, prosperous and thriving US, and hopes the US will also look at China's development in a positive light, it added.

"Over the past 45 years, the relationship has gone through wind and rain, and the two sides can draw a few important lessons: China and the United States should be partners rather than rivals; help each other succeed rather than hurt each other; seek common ground and reserve differences rather than engage in vicious competition; and honour words with actions rather than say one thing but do another," the statement further read.

President Xi further affirmed hope that both countries will continue working actively to truly stabilize, improve and move forward the bilateral relations.

"As a Chinese saying goes, "No progress means regress." It also applies to China-US relations. It is hoped that the two teams will continue working actively to follow through on the San Francisco vision, so as to truly stabilize, improve and move forward the bilateral relations," Xi was quoted as saying.

Blinken noted that since President Biden and President Xi met in San Francisco, the US and China have made good progress in their cooperation in such areas as bilateral interactions, counter-narcotics, artificial intelligence and people-to-people exchanges. The multiplicity and complexity of the challenges the world faces require the "US and China working together," the statement added.

The visit aims to shore up the fractious relationship between the two countries despite disputes over the economy, national security, and geopolitical frictions, according to the New York Times.

The US State Department in its statement, said that the US and China had "in-depth, substantive, and constructive discussions" on key priorities in the bilateral relationship and on a range of regional and global issues.

Secretary Blinken emphasized that the US will continue to use diplomacy to make progress in areas of difference and areas of cooperation that matter to the American people and the world as part of responsibly managing competition with the PRC (China).

He also pressed for continued progress in implementing the leaders' Woodside Summit commitments on key issues, including advancing counternarcotics cooperation to disrupt the global flow of synthetic drugs - including fentanyl and their precursor chemicals - into the United States, enhancing military-to-military communication to avoid miscalculation and conflict, and launching talks on managing the risk and safety challenges posed by advanced forms of artificial intelligence, the State Department added.

Earlier on April 24, Blinken, who is on his second visit to China this year said that he was in China "to make progress on issues that matter most to the American people, including curbing fentanyl trafficking."

Blinken's visit follows a visit to China by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen earlier this month.

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"Have Historical Ties": India Congratulates Maldives On Parliament Poll

India has congratulated Maldives for the successful conduct of parliamentary elections and expressed hope that the two nations will continue their exchanges at parliamentary level in the coming days, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that New Delhi and Male have had historical ties and India has a development cooperation program with Maldives.

Addressing the weekly media briefing, Mr Jaiswal said, "We have old historical ties with Maldives. We have a development cooperation programme with the Maldives and one programme is ongoing. Recently, Maldives held parliamentary/ Majlis elections. We congratulate Maldives on its successful parliamentary elections. We (India) and Maldives have many exchanges with each other at the parliament level. We hope to continue these exchanges with the new Majlis in the coming days."

In response to another query about Bangladesh, China planning to hold joint military exercise in May, he said, "You have heard me speak about this several times from this podium. We keep a close watch on all developments that happen in our neighbourhood and beyond, which impact our economic and security interests and we take appropriate measures accordingly."

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu's ruling People's National Congress (PNC) has won a supermajority in the Maldives Parliament. His party won 60 seats in the parliamentary elections held on Sunday, Maldives-based Sun Online reported.

Over 200,000 people voted in the parliamentary elections, in which 326 candidates were in the fray for 93 seats in the next parliamentary assembly, including six new seats. Maldives ruling party's candidates contested 90 seats.

The candidates who contested the elections also included 89 candidates from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP); 39 candidates from the Democrats; 10 candidates from the Jumhoory Party (JP); four candidates from the Maldives Development Alliance (MDA); four from the Adhaalath Party (AP); two from the Maldives National Party (MNP); and 130 independent candidates.

According to preliminary results, President Mohamed Muizzu's PNC secured the win in more than 60 seats, which is roughly two-thirds of the total seats. It does not include the independent candidates who contested with the party's support and candidates from the MNP and MDA. MNP and MDA are two parties allied with the ruling coalition.
Notably, ties between India and the Maldives had become strained since Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office. He criticised India during and after the presidential polls and his government also formally requested India to withdraw its troops from Male. However, in March, Mr Muizzu requested New Delhi for debt relief measures, while stating that India would continue to remain the Maldives' "closest ally," local media reported.

He further claimed that he has "not taken any action nor made any statements" that may strain the relationship between the two countries. In an interview with local media 'Mihaaru', Mr Muizzu said that he hopes India will accommodate debt relief measures for the Maldives' in the repayment of the hefty loans taken from the country over consecutive governments, Adhadhu reported.

He said, "The conditions we have inherited are such that there are very large loans taken from India. Hence, we are holding discussions to explore leniencies in the repayment structure of these loans. Instead of halting any ongoing projects, proceed with them at speed. So I see no reason for any adverse effects (on Maldives-India relations)."

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"Make No Mistake, This Is A Ban": TikTok Vows To Fight New US Law In Court

TikTok's CEO vowed Wednesday to fight in the courts to overturn a newly signed US law that could see the popular app banned due to allegations it is controlled by the China government.

The legislation gives TikTok nine months to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or be shut out of the American market.

The US and other Western officials have alleged the social media platform allows Beijing to collect data and spy on users. It has 170 million users in the United States alone, many of them young.

Critics say TikTok is also a conduit to spread propaganda. China and the company strongly deny the claims.

"Make no mistake, this is a ban. A ban on TikTok and a ban on you and your voice," TikTok boss Shou Zi Chew said in a video posted on TikTok moments after President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.

"Politicians may say otherwise, but don't get confused. Many who sponsored the bill admit a Tiktok ban is the ultimate goal."

Chew called the move "ironic" given that the "freedom of expression on TikTok reflects the same American values that make the United States a beacon of freedom."

"Rest assured, we aren't going anywhere," Chew told the platform's users.

"We will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side."

The ban measure was included in a $95 billion foreign aid package, including military assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

The bill, which could trigger the rare step of barring a company from operating in the US market, passed the Senate by a 79-18 vote three days after it cleared the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support.

Under the bill, ByteDance would have to sell the app or be excluded from Apple and Google's app stores in the United States.

TikTok for years has been in the crosshairs of American authorities, who say the platform allows Beijing to snoop on users in the United States.

The bill passed by Congress also gives the US president the authority to designate other applications as a threat to national security if they are controlled by a country deemed hostile.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, formerly Twitter, came out last week against banning TikTok, saying "doing so would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression."

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

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Vladimir Putin Biopic Set For Release, With An AI Twist

An upcoming film titled 'Putin' has grabbed attention for its promise to delve deep into the life and personality of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Using advanced AI technology, the movie aims to portray Putin's character over six decades, including moments from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Scheduled for release in September, the trailer shows Putin in unusual situations, like wearing a soiled diaper and practicing karate.

Directed by Polish filmmaker Besaleel, also known as Patryk Vega, the film is described as a "psychological thriller" that aims to uncover the mysteries surrounding Putin's personality. Vega highlights the extensive three-year process of filming, advanced AI techniques, and careful storytelling used to explore the motives and actions of one of today's most talked-about political figures.

The producers are dedicated to presenting a detailed and realistic depiction of Putin's story, utilising cutting-edge AI to achieve this. Set to be released in English, 'Putin' promises to provide viewers with an unprecedented look into the complexities of Putin's life and influence.

In a statement released via PR Leap, Polish studio AIO said the film will be released in 35 countries and describes itself as "up close and personal with the Kremlin leader's story.".

The studio has released a 2.5-minute trailer for the film.

According to the makers, the movie was filmed over three years in locations such as the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Israel, Syria, Jordan, and Poland. The movie's timeliness is one of its most significant aspects.

"Putin is not just a film," filmmaker Vega states. "It's a response to a global quest to understand the motives and actions of one of the most controversial figures in contemporary politics. My production's mission is to provide viewers with a 'user manual' for Putin.

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Israel Army Unit Facing US Sanction Threat Has History Of Abuses

An Israeli battalion which US media say Washington is likely to sanction over alleged rights violations against Palestinians, has a long history of transgressions and impunity, according to analysts and Israeli media.

The military's Netzah Yehuda unit was founded in 1999 to encourage ultra-Orthodox Jewish men to enlist but has since accepted other religious recruits including residents of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, where Netzah Yehuda was deployed until 2022.

Since the creation of Israel in 1948, the ultra-Orthodox community has been largely exempt from military service that is otherwise compulsory for most young Israelis -- a disparity increasingly criticised domestically since the start of the ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Netzah Yehuda guarantees ultra-Orthodox recruits they would serve in line with their practices, which include a strict kosher diet, total separation from women and alloted time for prayer and religious studies.

The unit has mainly attracted marginalised ultra-Orthodox youths "who see the army as a means of integrating into Israeli society and earning a living", said David Khalfa of Jean-Jaures Foundation, a French think tank.

But it has also drawn "rather radical religious nationalists having strong hostility towards Arabs", he told AFP.

"Marked by a strong ideological and sociological leaning, the battalion has acquired a scandal-prone reputation."

Marwa Maziad, a visiting lecturer of Israel studies at the US University of Maryland, told the Middle East Eye website that unlike most army units, Netzah Yehuda relies on volunteers.

She said "the battalion attracts religious Zionists, who combine Jewish religious interpretations with nationalist militarism" and are closely associated with the extreme fringes of the Israeli settler movement.

The West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, is home to three million Palestinians alongside some 490,000 Israelis living in settlements considered illegal under international law.

"A large part of the unit's soldiers were born and raised in the West Bank," Khalfa said, noting Netzah Yehuda was often tasked with policing and "counter-insurgency" operations in the Palestinian territory.

"A significant number of them -- not all -- committed abuses and the army hardly imposed any sanctions", Khalfa said.

Responding to "reports regarding sanctions" against Netzah Yehuda, the Israeli military defended its troops in a recent statement.

"The battalion is professionally and bravely conducting operations in accordance to the IDF (army) code of ethics and with full commitment to international law," it said.

'Nationalist ideology'

The January 2022 death of Palestinian-American Omar Assad, 78, at the hands of Netzah Yehuda soldiers in the West Bank drew attention to the unit, with the US State Department later that year ordering embassy staff in Israel to investigate the case.

Handcuffed, gagged and blindfolded, Assad was left lying on the ground on his stomach for more than an hour in a freezing winter night.

Following Assad's death, several Israeli media outlets published reports detailing incidents linked to the battalion that had gone largely unpunished, including beatings of Palestinians and attacks on Bedouin citizens of Israel.

The Jerusalem Post newspaper said Netzah Yehuda troops effectively allowed settlers to attack Palestinians, while Haaretz, a left-leaning daily, denounced the "clear ideological connection between the residents of the settlements and the unauthorised outposts and the soldiers" in the unit.

According to Khalfa, "within the army there are lively debates" over Netzah Yehuda, with some military officials considering it "dangerous for the army to bring together so many young people sharing the same nationalist ideology".

As the United States -- Israel's close ally and top provider of military assistance -- probed Assad's death, the battalion was transferred to the annexed Golan Heights.

But since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, Netzah Yehuda has been redeployed to the West Bank and also sent into Gaza.

Khalfa said that "what leads the United States to consider sanctions against Netzah Yehuda is the sense of impunity" the unit benefits from.

The battalion's return to the West Bank "has again given rise to behavioural problems", he said.
 

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240-Meter TV Tower Collapses In Ukraine After Russian Strike: Report

The 240-meter television tower in Ukraine's city of Kharkiv broke in half and fell to the ground on Monday, footage obtained by Reuters showed, after what local officials said was likely a Russian missile attack on television infrastructure.

The broadcasting signal was disrupted to Ukraine's second-largest city, which has been pounded by Russian missile and drone strikes in recent weeks.

"At the moment there are interruptions to the digital television signal," regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

There were no casualties because workers were in shelters, he added.

Footage from the scene showed the main mast of the tower breaking off and falling as a cloud of smoke rose into the sky.

It was not clear from the footage what had hit the mast, but Kharkiv prosecutors said Russia had likely used a cruise Kh-59 missile in the attack.

The video was verified by corroborating video from another angle showing the same moment the top of the tower collapsed.

Russia first attacked Kharkiv's television tower several times in early March 2022 soon after it launched its full-scale invasion. The signal was disrupted at the time.

Moscow has recently stepped up its attacks, while Ukraine is suffering a shortage of air defense capabilities. Kharkiv and the surrounding region have experienced the most intense strikes.

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Voting For Pakistan By-Polls Ends Amid Cellular Network Suspension: Report

The voting for 21 national and provincial seats ended amid the temporary suspension of cellular services in "specific districts" of Punjab and Balochistan provinces, which authorities claim were steps to "safeguard" the electoral process, Dawn reported on Sunday.

Elections were held for five seats in the National Assembly, twelve seats in the Punjab Assembly, two seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and two seats in the Balochistan Assembly, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan.

According to the Pakistan-based news website, the by-elections were held under the umbrella of violence and disruption in the network services across the polling stations.

In Sheikhupura's PP-139, the polling process was temporarily stopped after a "firing incident".

In a statement, the Punjab election commissioner's office said that due to a "firing incident" at a polling station (Government Primary School Nizampura), the polling process had been stopped.

However, it had later resumed after the police controlled the situation, the statement added.

In Lahore, at polling station number 171 (Lahore College), workers of the Pakistan Tehreeke-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) coalition had a fight with those of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on the issue of setting up polling camps. The argument was then brought to a conclusion with the help of police intervention.

Reports of arguments also emerged from various political leaders.

Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party's (IPP's) Shoaib Siddiqui said there were reports of a face-off in Union Council 184, Dawn reported.

Separately, SIC's Mian Shahzad Farooq claimed that his party workers were being arrested in NA-119 and that the polling agent had been forced out of the returning officer's office after he went there to file a complaint.

Across Lahore, 24 superintendents, 45 senior deputy police officers (SDPOs), 168 inspectors, station house officers (SHOs), and investigation in-charges will serve their duties during the by-elections, Dawn reported.

A total of 195 pickets were established at Lahore's entry and exit points while security was on "high alert".

Earlier on Saturday, the interior ministry had allowed the suspension of mobile internet services to "maintain law and order" in 13 districts and tehsils in Punjab, Dawn reported.

It should be mentioned that mobile and internet services were also shut down during the February 8 general elections. Meanwhile, access to social media platform X has been disrupted since Feb 17, when the former Rawalpindi commissioner accused the chief election commissioner and chief justice of Pakistan of being involved in rigging.

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Indian Envoy In Sri Lanka Hosts Ram Temple Trust Officials

India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha on Sunday hosted top officials of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and discussed ways in which India can support the development of the Ramayana Trail in the island nation.

Mr Jha met Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, the treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and his team at the India House here.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is the body responsible for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

"High Commissioner @santjha hosted Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, Treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust & his accompanying team at India House," the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said in a post on X.

"Discussed ways in which India can support (the) development of #RamayanaTrail in Sri Lanka, promoting P2P (people-to-people) connect and economic growth," it said.

High Commissioner @santjha hosted Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, Treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust & his accompanying team at India House. Discussed ways in which ?? can support development of #RamayanaTrail in ??, promoting P2P connect and economic growth. pic.twitter.com/gCJBRda4cH

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) April 21, 2024

Mr Jha also joined the inauguration event of the Ramayana Trail Project in Sri Lanka, endorsed by Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj.

"May the #RamayanaTrail flourish as India-Sri Lanka friendship flourishes today! High Commissioner @santjha joined the inauguration event of #RamayanaTrail Project in Sri Lanka, endorsed by Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, along with NSA @SagalaRatnayaka, cricket icon @Sanath07 & other dignitaries," the High Commission said in a separate post.

May the #RamayanaTrail flourish as ?? ?? friendship flourishes today!

High Commissioner @santjha joined the inauguration event of #RamayanaTrail Project in ?? endorsed by Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, along with NSA @SagalaRatnayaka, cricket icon @Sanath07 & other dignitaries. pic.twitter.com/G6XNgjc0R7

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) April 21, 2024

The Ramayana is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and an important text of Hinduism. There are 52 sites on the Ramayana Trail in Sri Lanka.

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Landslide Win For Pro-China Leader's Party In Maldives Parliamentary Vote

The party of Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu won control of parliament in a Sunday election landslide, results showed, with voters backing his tilt towards China and away from regional powerhouse and traditional benefactor India.

Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC) won 66 of the first 86 seats declared, according to the Elections Commission of Maldives results, already more than enough for a super-majority in the 93-member majlis, or parliament.

The vote was seen as a crucial test for Muizzu's plan to press ahead with closer economic cooperation with China, including building thousands of apartments on controversially reclaimed land.

The PNC and its allies had only eight seats in the outgoing parliament, with the lack of a majority stymieing Muizzu after his presidential election victory in September.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) -- which had previously had a super-majority of its own -- was headed for a humiliating defeat with just a dozen seats.

Muizzu, 45, had been among the first to vote Sunday, casting his ballot at a school in the capital Male -- where he was previously mayor -- and urging Maldivians to turn out in high numbers.

President Dr @MMuizzu cast his ballot in the 2024 Parliamentary Elections. The voting process took place at the polling station for the President's constituency at the Thaajudheen School. pic.twitter.com/p4pHuXzx2R

— The President's Office (@presidencymv) April 21, 2024

"All citizens should come out and exercise their right to vote as soon as possible," Muizzu told reporters.

The Maldives, a low-lying nation of some 1,192 tiny coral islands scattered some 800 kilometres (500 miles) across the equator, is one of the countries most vulnerable to sea level rises caused by global warming.

Muizzu, a former construction minister, has promised he will beat back the waves through ambitious land reclamation and building islands higher, a policy which environmentalists argue could even exacerbate flooding risks.

The Maldives is known as a top luxury holiday destination thanks to its pristine white beaches and secluded resorts. 

But in recent years it has also become a geopolitical hotspot in the Indian Ocean, where global east-west shipping lanes pass the archipelago.

Muizzu won last September's presidential poll as a proxy for pro-China ex-president Abdulla Yameen, freed last week after a court set aside his 11-year jail term for corruption.

This month, as campaigning for the parliamentary elections was in full swing, Muizzu awarded high-profile infrastructure contracts to Chinese state-owned companies.

His administration is also in the process of sending home a garrison of 89 Indian troops who operate reconnaissance aircraft gifted by New Delhi to patrol the Maldives' vast maritime borders.

The outgoing parliament, dominated by the pro-India MDP of Muizzu's immediate predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, has sought to disrupt his efforts to realign Maldivian diplomacy.

Since Muizzu came to power, lawmakers blocked three of his nominees to the cabinet and refused some of his spending proposals.

"Geopolitics is very much in the background as parties campaign for votes in Sunday's election," a senior Muizzu aide told AFP ahead of the poll, asking not to be named.

"He came to power on a promise to send back Indian troops and he is working on it. The parliament has not been cooperating with him since he came to power."

Solih was also among those voting early and expressed confidence his party would emerge victorious. There was no immediate reaction from his party to their poor showing in Sunday's vote.

Election chief Fuad Thaufeeq said after polls closed that turnout had already reached 73 percent of the 284,663 electorate when half an hour of voting remained.

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14 Killed In Israeli Strike In West Bank, Says Palestinian Red Crescent

The Palestinian Red Crescent said Saturday at least 14 people had been killed in an Israeli raid on Nur Shams refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli army said troops had killed 10 militants during the operation, which it said started on Thursday.

AFP journalists saw bodies in the streets and houses hit by blasts as Israeli drones flew overhead and armoured vehicles moved through the camp.

Since early last year, violence has flared in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967. It has escalated further since war broke out in Gaza on October 7.

"So far, our crews have evacuated 14 martyrs from Nur Shams camp to the hospital," the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

Earlier, the Palestinian health ministry said it had confirmed 11 injured in the Israeli raid, seven of them "wounded by live gunshots". Among them was a paramedic shot while trying to get to the wounded, it added.

Medics had been alerted to "a number of killed and injured" inside the camp, but the army was "denying them access to tend to the wounded", the ministry said.

An AFP journalist said paramedics had tried to enter the camp but had been refused access by the army. Gunshots rang out and soldiers carried out door-to-door raids, the journalist said.

Residents say power cut

The Israeli army said that it had "eliminated 10 terrorists" and made eight arrests around Nur Shams. Eight soldiers and a police officer were wounded, it added.

Israeli forces say their frequent raids target Palestinian militants, but civilians are often among the dead.

On Friday, the health ministry said 16-year-old Qais Fathi Nasrallah had been killed by Israeli troops in the nearby Tulkarem refugee camp.

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa said he had died after being "shot in the head by Israeli live gunfire". It was unclear exactly when he died.

A 30-year-old man, Salim Faisal Ghanem, had been "killed by Israeli troops" on Friday in the Nur Shams camp, Wafa said.

Residents contacted by AFP on Saturday said there was no electricity in the camp and food was running short, but nobody was being allowed to enter or leave.

Minister Muayad Shaaban, head of the Palestinian Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission, said residents were suffering from the "destruction of homes, shops, the electricity grid, the sewerage, the water network and infrastructure".

Paramedic killed

Around 480 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops or settlers in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, according to Palestinian official sources.

Excluding annexed east Jerusalem, the West Bank is home to around 490,000 Israeli settlers who live in communities considered illegal under international law.

On Saturday, an ambulance driver was killed in clashes between settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank village As-Sawiya, the Palestinian Red Crescent and the health ministry said.

"Volunteer paramedic Mohammed Awad Allan of the Palestine Red Crescent was killed while treating those injured by settlers' gunfire," the organisation said.

One witness said Israeli soldiers were present and had fired shots along with the settlers, but said it was not clear whether the army or settlers had shot at the ambulance driver.

The army has not responded to AFP's request for comment.

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US House Passes Massive Aid Packages For Ukraine, Israel And Taiwan

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives on Saturday passed the first in a series of bills in a $95 billion legislative package providing security assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, over bitter objections from party hardliners.

More than two months have passed since the Democratic-majority Senate passed a similar measure and U.S. leaders from Democratic President Joe Biden to top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell have been urging embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring it up for a vote.

Johnson this week chose to ignore ouster threats by hardline members of his fractious 218-213 majority and push forward the measure that includes some $60.84 billion for Ukraine as it struggles to fight off a two-year Russian invasion.

The unusual four-bill package also includes funds for Israel, security assistance for Taiwan and allies in the Indo-Pacific and a measure that includes sanctions, a threat to ban the Chinese-owned social media app TikTok and the potential transfer of seized Russian assets to Ukraine.

The bill imposing the new limits on TikTok was the first of the four to pass on Saturday.

"The world is watching what the Congress does," the White House said in a statement on Friday. "Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment. The administration urges both chambers of the Congress to quickly send this supplemental funding package to the president's desk."

A bipartisan 316-94 House majority on Friday voted to advance the bill to a vote, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told senators to be ready to work over the weekend if it passes the House as expected.

"It's not the perfect legislation, it's not the legislation that we would write if Republicans were in charge of both the House, the Senate, and the White House," Johnson told reporters on Friday. "This is the best possible product that we can get under these circumstances to take care of these really important obligations."

Some hardline Republicans have voiced strong opposition to further Ukraine aid, with some arguing the US can ill afford it given its rising $34 trillion national debt. They have repeatedly raised the threat of ousting Johnson, who became speaker in October after his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, was ousted by party hardliners.

Representative Bob Good, chair of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Friday that the bills represent a "slide down into the abyss of greater fiscal crisis and America-last policies that reflect Biden and Schumer and (House Democratic leader Hakeem) Jeffries, and don't reflect the American people."

But Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who carries huge influence in the party, on April 12 voiced support for Johnson and in a Thursday social media post said Ukraine's survival is important for the U.S.

The bills provide $60.84 billion to address the conflict in Ukraine, including $23 billion to replenish U.S. weapons, stocks and facilities; $26 billion for Israel, including $9.1 billion for humanitarian needs, and $8.12 billion for the Indo-Pacific.

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58 Dead As Boat Carrying Over 300 To Funeral Capsizes In Central Africa

At least 58 people going to a funeral died after their overloaded boat capsized in the Central African Republic's capital Bangui, the head of civil protection said on Saturday. 

"We were able to extract 58 lifeless bodies. We don't know the total number of people who are underwater," Thomas Djimasse told Radio Guira. 

According to witnesses and videos on social media, the boat was carrying more than 300 people -- some standing and others perched on wooden structures -- when it overturned on the Mpoko river on Friday. 

The vessel was heading to the funeral of a village chief but capsized shortly after setting off, with rescuers arriving 40 minutes after the disaster. 

Maurice Kapenya, who followed the boat in a canoe because there was no space on board, said he collected the bodies of some of the victims, including his own sister, with the help of fishermen and residents. 

Families were seen near the river on Saturday looking for their loved ones who were still missing. 

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Hamas Chief Arrives In Turkey For Gaza Talks Amid Middle East Tensions

A leader of Palestinian militant group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, arrived in Istanbul Friday evening for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the death toll in Gaza passed 34,000.

A statement from Hamas Friday said Erdogan and Haniyeh would discuss the conflict in Gaza, adding that the head of the group's political bureau was accompanied by a delegation.

Middle East tensions are at a high after Israel's reported attack on Iran and Gaza bracing for a new Israeli offensive.

Erdogan insisted on Wednesday that he would continue "to defend the Palestinian struggle and to be the voice of the oppressed Palestinian people".

But talking to journalists on Friday, he refused to be drawn on the details on the meeting.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in Qatar Wednesday and said he spent three hours with Haniyeh and his aides for "a wide exchange of views in particular about negotiations for a ceasefire".

Qatar, a mediator between Israel and Hamas, acknowledged Wednesday that negotiations to end hostilities in Gaza and liberate hostages were "stalling".

Fidan said he spoke with Haniyeh, who lives in Qatar, about how Hamas -- designated as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and the European Union -- "must clearly express its expectations, especially about a two-state solution".

Erdogan's last meeting with Haniyeh was in July 2023 when Erdogan hosted him and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas at the presidential palace in Ankara. Haniyeh had last met Fidan in Turkey on January 2.

The war in Gaza started after Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 people, mainly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Militants also took about 250 hostages. Israel says around 129 are believed to be held in Gaza, including 34 presumed dead.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 34,012 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

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Maryam Nawaz's Motorcade Allegedly Kills A Motorcyclist: Report

Pakistan's Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's motorcade allegedly killed a motorcyclist when she was travelling from Narowal to Kartarpur for the three-day celebrations of the Baisakhi festival, reported Dawn.

Her motorcade was going from Narowal to Kartarpur when the Elite Force vehicle hit the motorcyclist coming from the opposite direction at the Chandowal Stop on the Shakargarh Road on Thursday.

The motorcyclist, identified as 23-year-old Abubakar, a resident of Jassar town, died on the spot, Dawn reported.

Despite the accident, the CM's motorcade did not stop to take the injured to the hospital.

Ali Rizwan, a cousin of the deceased, said that Abubakar was going from home to a filling station where he was employed.

He further said that no official stopped their car to help the injured Abubakar and neither of them picked him up or even called Rescue 1122.

Instead, he lamented, that the police officers came to the spot after the incident and washed the blood from the road with water to remove the evidence, according to Dawn.

Abubakar's mother, Arifa Bibi said the police car had killed her son, emphasising that his son was supporting the family during the hard times of inflation, adding that her husband, Fakhar Ayaz, was a labourer.

She sought justice from CM Maryam Nawaz, and said that an FIR should be registered against the person responsible for the accident and he should be arrested.

After hearing the news of his son's death, Abubakar's father, Fakhar Ayaz, fainted at the shock of it.

He was then shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, Narowal, where he remained under treatment for a couple of hours.

District Emergency Officer Muhammad Naeem Akhtar claimed that Rescue 1122 motorcycles and ambulances reached the site immediately after receiving information of the accident but the victim had died on the spot.

He said Rescue 1122 had shifted the body to the District Headquarters Hospital, Narowal.

District Police Officer Muhammad Naveed Malik said that two people, Abubakar and Hamza, were riding the motorcycle and were coming from Jassar Town to Narowal when a high-speed motorcycle coming from behind hit them. Abubakar fell on the right side while Hamza fell on the left side due to the collision of the motorcycles.

The DPO said Abu Bakar, who had fallen on the right side of the road, was hit by the vehicle and died in the accident, reported Dawn.

However, the eyewitnesses, Muhammad Aslam and Attaullah, rejected the police version, saying that there was only one person (Abubakar), riding the bike while the police vehicle was overtaking him.

Abubakar's cousin Rizwan also denied the statement of the police officers, saying that only Abubakar was riding the motorcycle.

He further alleged that the police were lying to protect the police driver responsible for the accident, Dawn reported.

Rana Lal Badshah, former president of the District Bar Association, Narowal, and a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), said a judicial inquiry should be conducted into the incident.

Moreover, the Saddar Police Station registered an FIR against the unidentified driver of the police vehicle on the complaint of Ali Rizwan.

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Jury Selection Complete In Trump's Criminal Hush-Money Trial

The jury for Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was completed on Friday, clearing the way for prosecutors and defense attorneys to make opening statements next week in a case stemming from hush money paid to a porn star.

The 12 jurors, along with six alternates, will consider evidence in a first-ever trial to determine whether a former US president broke the law.

The jury consists of seven men and five women, mostly employed in white-collar professions: two corporate lawyers, a software engineer, a speech therapist and an English teacher. Most are not native New Yorkers, hailing from across the United States and countries like Ireland and Lebanon.

Trump is accused of covering up a $130,000 payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she says they had a decade earlier.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and denies any such encounter with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Trump has pleaded not guilty in three other criminal cases as well, but this is the only one certain to go to trial ahead of the Nov. 5 election, when the Republican politician aims to again take on Democratic President Joe Biden.

A conviction would not bar him from office.

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Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi Being Used As "Human Shield", Son Fears

Myanmar's detained former leader and Aung San Suu Kyi was moved from prison to house arrest possibly to be used by the Southeast Asian nation's ruling junta as a human shield in its conflict with resistance fighters, her son said on Thursday.

Suu Kyi has been detained by the Myanmar military since it overthrew her government in a 2021 coup. The 78-year-old Nobel laureate was held under house arrest for a total of 15 years under a previous junta.

A spokesperson for the junta said this week that Suu Kyi had been moved to house arrest as a step to protect her and other elderly prisoners from the hot weather. It was not clear where exactly she had been moved to.

Her son, Kim Aris, who lives in London, told Reuters that he had heard Suu Kyi was suffering from the heat, but that the junta's official reason for moving her was "not very likely".

"I think they have their own reasons for moving her, namely that they'd like to use her as a human shield or a bargaining chip," Aris said in an interview.

"As the fighting's getting closer and closer to the military strongholds, I think they may just want to keep her close to use as a human shield, or they might like to negotiate with the resistance forces on her release, trying to gain some sort of, you know, footing for the future," he said.

Anger against the junta in Myanmar has turned into a nationwide armed resistance movement that is now increasingly operating in coordination with established ethnic rebel groups to challenge the military across large parts of the country.

World leaders and pro-democracy activists have repeatedly called for Suu Kyi's release. She faces 27 years in prison for crimes ranging from treason and bribery to violations of the telecommunications law, charges she denies.

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Man Arrested In Poland Over Suspected Plot To Kill Ukraine's Zelensky

A man suspected of aiding a plot by Russian intelligence services to assassinate Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been arrested in Poland, Polish and Ukrainian prosecutors said Thursday.

The Polish national, named only as Pawel K., is suspected of supplying information to Russian military intelligence and "helping the Russian special forces to plan a possible assassination attempt" against Zelensky, said a statement from Polish prosecutors.

It said the suspect had stated he was "ready to act on behalf of the military intelligence services of the Russian Federation and established contact with Russian citizens directly involved in the war in Ukraine".

Ukrainian prosecutors had informed Poland about the activities, which had enabled them to gather "essential evidence" against the suspect, the statement added.

Ukraine's chief prosecutor Andriy Kostin said the suspect had been tasked with "gathering and transmitting to the aggressor state information about security at Rzeszow-Jasionka airport" in southeastern Poland.

Zelensky frequently passes through the airport on his trips abroad. It is also used by foreign officials and aid convoys heading to Ukraine.

The suspect is in detention pending judicial procedures, the two countries' prosecutors said.

"This case underscores the persistent threat Russia poses not only to Ukraine and Ukrainians but to the entire free world," Kostin wrote on X, the former Twitter.

"The Kremlin's criminal regime... organises and carries out sabotage operations on the territory of other sovereign states," he added.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski commended the work of his country's special services and prosecutors in the operation as well as cooperation with neighbouring Ukraine.

Warsaw has been one of Kyiv's staunchest backers since the Russian invasion in February 2022, although ties have frayed recently in a dispute over agricultural imports.

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Maldives President Muizzu Accused Of Corruption In Leaked Report

Ahead of the parliamentary polls in the Maldives, the opposition parties have demanded a probe and impeachment of President Mohamed Muizzu following the leaked report of his alleged corruption from 2018, a charge dismissed by him.

Elections to the Majlis are to be held on Sunday and the atmosphere has been vitiated by the trading of charges between the main opposition the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and the Muizzu's People's National Congress (PNC).

Local media reports have highlighted that the political storm started on Monday with an anonymous handle 'Hassan Kurusee' posting on social media X leaked intelligence reports, including documents prepared by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Maldives Monetary Authority and the Maldives Police Service that allegedly linked President Muizzu to corruption.

"These reports, dated circa 2018, claim irregularities in money transfers to President Muizzu's personal bank account, highlighting 10 critical red flag indicators of financial misconduct. These indicators suggest involvement with politically exposed persons, embezzlement, structured transactions, and the use of corporate entities to hide fund origins," news portal Maldives Republic (mvrepublic.com) reported.

The allegations soon created a political storm with several reactions pouring in on various social media channels. News portals and newspapers, however, tread with caution. The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and People's National Front (PNF) demanded an investigation into the matter.

Former Vice President Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed urged Muizzu's impeachment following the leaked intelligence reports. Taking to his social media handle X, Jameel reposted these documents, emphasising the need for accountability at all levels of governance.

Apart from demanding Muizzu's impeachment, Jameel, a senior member of the Progressive Party of Maldives, "also accused President Muizzu of extensive corruption in his flagship Ras Male' development project and alleged excessive spending on public relations. Jameel has called on President Muizzu to cooperate with independent investigations into these allegations," mvrepublic.com said.

The news portal also claimed that this was the first time an FIU report was leaked and said, there has been no official confirmation or response from government bodies regarding the legitimacy of the reports or the allegations.

Adhadhu.com reported that President Muizzu responded late on Tuesday night to corruption allegations declaring that the opposition "cannot show any wrongdoing on his part regardless of how far attempts to implicate him are taken" and also accused the opposition of leaking the reports out of desperation.

"The same allegations had been made during his campaigns for mayor and President," he said adding, the response would also be the same as before.

"While you attempt to pin something on me like this, you couldn't do it before and you can't do it now. There's nothing you can show against me no matter how far you take this," Adhadhu.com said, quoting the President.

Atoll Times gave a detailed account of what President Muizzu said in his defence, including how he would "never compromise the rights of the people and that no matter how many such allegations are made, nobody will be able to show anything done in such a manner." "The last five years opposition was in government, if there was anything done wrong, it would have come to light," Muizzu said.

"The President's remarks came after the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and People's National Front (PNF) called on the relevant authorities to investigate the serious allegations against the President. But no government investigative agency has yet to comment on the issue," Adhadhu.com reported.

A total of 368 candidates are contesting for 93 seats in this year's parliamentary elections on April 21, according to media reports. The outcome of the elections will determine whether the opposition parties can act against President Muizzu, who assumed charge in November last year. 

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"A Long Goodbye": NASA's Mars Chopper Sends Final Message To Earth

NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter has transmitted its final message to Earth and will now serve as an immobile data-gathering unit on the red planet's surface, the space agency said on Tuesday.

The tissue box-sized aircraft made history by achieving the first powered flight on another planet after hitching a ride under the belly of the Perseverance rover, which first lifted off the surface on April 19, 2021.

"A long goodbye," NASA said on social media site X.

"Ingenuity's team received their final message from the #MarsHelicopter, which will now serve as a stationary testbed, collecting data that could benefit future explorers of the Red Planet."

Originally intended only to prove flight was possible in the ultra-thin Martian atmosphere through five test runs, Ingenuity defied all expectations.

It was deployed a total of 72 times, logging more than two hours of flight time in short hops, overcoming dust storms, treacherous terrain, a dead sensor and frigid conditions.

Its mission evolved to act as an aerial scout to assist its wheeled companion in searching for signs of ancient microbial life from billions of years ago when Mars was much wetter and warmer than today.

Designed to operate in springtime, its solar-powered heating system was unable to remain on throughout the night in winter. That led to the flight computer freezing over and forced engineers to devise new protocols.

NASA said on Monday it was attempting to bring Martian rocks collected by the Perseverance rover back to Earth faster and more cheaply, with the agency facing mounting criticism for going massively over budget.

The effort comes as China is making progress towards a simpler "grab-and-go" sample return mission to the red planet "around 2030," according to state media, which would make it the first nation to achieve the feat.

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"If Anything Happens To My Wife...": Imran Khan Warns Army Chief

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder and jailed former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday alleged that Army chief General Asim Munir was directly responsible for the imprisonment of his wife Bushra Bibi.

Bushra Bibi, 49, was convicted in a corruption case as well as in the case of illegal marriage with Mr Khan, 71, and is currently held in detention at their Bani Gala residence in the suburbs of Islamabad.

The PTI leader in a conversation with journalists at Adiala Jail where he is currently incarcerated hurled allegations on the army chief, according to a long post uploaded on Mr Khan's official X account.

"General Asim Munir is directly involved in the sentence awarded to my wife," Mr Khan said, adding that the judge who convicted her said that he was forced to make the decision.

"If anything happens to my wife, I will not leave Asim Munir, I will not leave Asim Munir as long as I am alive. I will expose his unconstitutional and illegal steps," he threatened.

Mr Khan said there was a law of the jungle in the country and all was being done by the "king of the jungle". "If the king of the jungle wants, all the cases of Nawaz Sharif are forgiven, and when he wants, we are punished in three cases in five days," he alleged.

Mr Khan also said that the economy would stabilise not through the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans but by investment. "Due to the law of the jungle, there will be no investment in the country. It is good that Saudi Arabia is coming but investment will come once there is rule of law in the country," he said.

He also referred to the recent reported clash between police and army in Bahawalnagar area of Punjab and said that the "police were thrashed" by violating the law, but the IG (inspector general police) and Viceroy, who oppressed our people, apologised from those who had thrashed the police.

Mr Khan said the Viceroy said after the incident that "they (police) are our brothers". He went on to say that "such treatment is done to slaves and not to brothers" because those having power thrashed the police and also forced to apologise.

He also said that PTI was being stopped from contesting in the by-elections. "At this time, standing in front of oppression is Jihad. Our workers have to protect each vote, guard the vote," the former premier said.

So far the army has not responded to the serious allegations.

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"India, Pak Must Avoid Escalation": US On PM's Terrorists Killing Remarks

The US has encouraged India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday.

Asked whether the Biden administration is concerned about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks that India will not hesitate to kill terrorists in their homes, Miller said, "As I have said before, the United States is not going to get into the middle of this. But we do encourage both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue."

Miller, while addressing a press briefing, said that he will never preview any sanction actions and that the "US does not discuss sanctions openly."

When asked why the US has not imposed any sanctions on India over the alleged assassination plot of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Miller, said, "I am never going to preview any sanction actions, which is not to say that there are any coming, but when you ask me to talk about sanctions, it's something that we don't discuss openly."

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist and has repeatedly issued threats against India. As per the US Justice Department indictment, an Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, who is currently in custody, has been charged with the murder-for-hire of Pannun.

The US Justice Department had earlier claimed that an Indian government employee, who was not identified in the indictment filed, had recruited Gupta to hire a hitman to allegedly assassinate Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities. Last year, India formed a committee to inquire into the allegations of the foiled assassination plot.

On April 11, PM Modi said that in the 10 years of the BJP government at the Centre, "terrorists are being killed in their own homes." Addressing a public rally in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh, PM Modi highlighted the major decisions taken by his government, emphasising that it was under the NDA regime that Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir.

"Today, there is a strong government in the country. Under this 'mazboot Modi sarkar, aatankwaadiyon ko ghar mein ghus ke mara jata hai'. The Indian tricolour has become a guarantee of security even in the war zone. After seven decades, Article 370 was scrapped from Jammu and Kashmir and a law was made against triple talaq. It was our strong government that ensured 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and the poor in the general category also got 10 per cent reservation," the PM had said.

India has repeatedly emphasised that it will not tolerate cross-border terrorism and that it cannot keep aside terrorism to improve ties with Islamabad. New Delhi has also said the onus is on Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere in which there is no terror, hostility, or violence.

In an interview with ANI, Rajnath Singh said if Pakistan's intention is clear, it should act decisively against cross-border terrorism.

"If Pakistan attempts to destabilise India through terrorism, it will have to face the consequences. Pakistan needs to control terrorism. If Pakistan thinks that it is not capable of controlling it, if they feel they are not capable, then India is a neighbour, if they want to take India's help, they should. India is ready to provide all assistance to combat terrorism," Singh had said.

"They are our neighbours, and if their intention is clear that terrorism should end, they should do that themselves or take help from India. We both can end terrorism. But this is their call; I am just giving a suggestion," he added.

Asked about his 'Ghus Ke Maarenge' remarks made in a recent TV interview, Rajnath Singh said that India will do everything to combat terrorism.

"We won't allow terrorists to operate within Indian borders. We will do everything to stop it," he said. Asked if such action can be taken across the border, he said, "We will see what happens."

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UN Committee Unable To Agree On Palestinian Bid For Full Membership

A United Nations Security Council committee considering an application by the Palestinian Authority to become a full U.N. member "was unable to make a unanimous recommendation" on whether it met the criteria, according to the committee report seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

The Palestinian Authority is still expected to push the 15-member Security Council to vote - as early as this week - on a draft resolution recommending it become a full member of the world body, diplomats said.

Such membership would effectively recognize a Palestinian state.

The Palestinians are currently a non-member observer state, a de facto recognition of statehood that was granted by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly in 2012.

But an application to become a full U.N. member needs to be approved by the Security Council, where Israel ally the United States can block it, and then at least two-thirds of the General Assembly.

The United States said earlier this month that establishing an independent Palestinian state should happen through direct negotiations between the parties and not at the United Nations.

The U.N. Security Council has long endorsed a vision of two states living side by side within secure and recognized borders. Palestinians want a state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, all territory captured by Israel in 1967.

Little progress has been made on achieving Palestinian statehood since the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the early 1990s.

The Palestinian push for full U.N. membership comes six months into a war between Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza, and as Israel is expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The Security Council committee on the admission of new members - made up of all 15 council members - agreed to its report on Tuesday after meeting twice last week to discuss the Palestinian application.

"Regarding the issue of whether the application met all the criteria for membership ... the Committee was unable to make a unanimous recommendation to the Security Council," the report said, adding that "differing views were expressed."

U.N. membership is open to "peace-loving states" that accept the obligations in the founding U.N. Charter and are able and willing to carry them out.

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UK Parliament Debates Law Phasing Out Smoking

The UK parliament on Tuesday kicked off its first debate on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's planned flagship legislation to prevent young people from smoking, despite opposition from many in his own Conservative Party.

The law would ban the selling of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009 - effectively raising the smoking age by a year each year until it applies to the whole population.

"This has the potential to phase out smoking in young people almost completely as early as 2040," the government said when it unveiled the plan, calling the move "historic".

While the law looks set to pass thanks to support from opposition parties -- including Labour, which is expected to win a general election due this year -- Sunak faces the prospect of a rebellion from backbench Tory MPs.

The beleaguered leader has little political capital to expend within his fractured party as he struggles to revive its fortunes following months of dire polling.

Smoking is the UK's biggest preventable killer and opinion polls show that around two-thirds of people in the UK back a phased smoking ban.

However, libertarian-leaning MPs on the right of the ruling Conservatives, including former prime minister Liz Truss, have branded the move an attack on personal freedoms.

Conservative MP Simon Clarke told BBC radio that he was "both sceptical and downright opposed" to the plans.

"I think that an outright ban risks being counterproductive, I think it actually risks making smoking cooler, it certainly risks creating a black market, and it also risks creating a unmanageable challenge for the authorities," he said.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson also said at an event in Canada last week it was "mad" that the party of Winston Churchill was "banning cigars".

Vaping clamp down

Opening the debate for the government, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins told the House of Commons that there is "no liberty in addiction".

"Nicotine robs people of their freedom to choose. The vast majority of smokers start when they are young, and three quarters say that if they could turn back the clock they would not have started," she said.

MPs are due to vote on whether to approve the plans for the next stage of the legislative process on Tuesday evening.

Conservative MPs have been given a free vote, meaning they are able to defy the government without fear of being suspended from the party.

Westminster watchers will closely study the size of the rebellion to see what it suggests about Sunak's authority, amid reports that some cabinet members are considering voting against.

The proposed ban was supposedly inspired by a similar plan in New Zealand which was later dropped.

Official figures show smoking causes about one in four deaths from cancer and leads to 64,000 deaths in England per year.

"If parliament passes this new bill, it will put the UK at the very forefront of the fight to eradicate one of the most harmful inventions of modern times," said Lion Shahab, co-director of the tobacco and alcohol research group at University College London.

The legislation also seeks to clamp down on young people vaping by restricting flavours and packaging to make less appealing to children.

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What Israel Said On Claims Of Indian YouTuber Denied Entry In Its Nightclubs

The Israeli Embassy on Tuesday hit back at the hate speech against Indians and urged people to fact-check before falling for any fake news and propoganda, as incidents of hate speech are on the rise after the conflict in the Gaza Strip and Iran-Israel tension.

Calling the viral video of an Indian YouTuber, showing that he was denied entry into an Israeli bar "fake news" and "propoganda," the Israeli Embassy in India urged people to fact-check, stressing that Israel loves its Indian brothers and and sisters and will not listen to hate speech.

Taking on their social media X, the Israeli Embassy in India said on Tuesday that the YouTuber Shubham Kumar was exploring Israel and enjoying the nightlife.

"In times when social media is flooded with fake news, we urge people to fact-check. Youtuber Shubham Kumar was exploring Israel and enjoying the nightlife, as evident in the video he uploaded. Some bars were full or had reserved spaces," the embassy stated on X.

The embassy, in their post, highlighted that the "sliced video" of fake news was circulated.

"While a sliced video of fake news and propaganda circulates, we want to address a few points: Israelis, like Indians, come in all different colours. The video clearly shows people of all colours enjoying a beer in bars. We love our Indian brothers and sisters and we will not listen to the hate speech being viciously spread," they added.

In times of social media being flooded with fake news, we urge people to fact-check.

Youtuber Shubham Kumar was exploring Israel and enjoying the nightlife, as evident in the video he uploaded. Some bars were full or had reserved spaces.

While a sliced video of fake news and… pic.twitter.com/OcovcKvisB

— Israel in India (@IsraelinIndia) April 16, 2024

YouTuber Shubham Kumar, a travel blogger with over two million subscribers on YouTube, visited Israel and Gaza and posted videos of him exploring the country and enjoying the nightlife.

Shubham too clarified in a video that the clubs and bars are totally jam-packed. "I could not even get a seat," said Shubham.

At no point did Shubham say that he was denied entry into Israeli clubs just because he was Indian. In fact, before visiting any nightclub, Shubham clarified that it is a Thursday night and every one parties here on this day.

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