Netanyahu says intense fighting in Gaza to end ‘very soon’

Jerusalem, June 24 2024-

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that intense fighting against Hamas is “very close” to an end.

In an interview with Israeli Channel 14 TV news, Netanyahu on Sunday said that “the intensive phase of the war in Rafah is about to end”, and the Israeli forces were “very close” to concluding the “intensive phase” in the entire Gaza Strip.

However, he said, this does not mean an end to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, and operations will persist with the fighting against Hamas targets, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Israeli news broadcaster.

After the conclusion of the “intensive phase” in Gaza, “we will continue northward,” Netanyahu said, referring to Israel’s warnings of launching a full-fledged war against the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

He said that any agreement to secure a ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israeli and Hezbollah forces have traded fire since October 7, 2023, “will have to meet our terms.”

He stated he would only agree to a deal that would see Hamas removed from power in the Gaza Strip and the release of about 100 hostages who are still held in the Palestinian enclave. (Agency)

Suraj Revanna sexual assault case: CID takes over probe, brings JD-S leader to Bengaluru

Bengaluru, June 24 2024-

The Karnataka Police’s CID, which was handed over the probe in the sexual assault case involving Suraj Revanna, the grandson of former PM and JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, by the state government on Sunday, has brought the JD-S MLC to Bengaluru from Hassan.

Police sources said that he will be produced before the special MP/MLA court.

Sources also said that Shivakumar, who lodged a complaint against the victim in the case and also alleged extortion, has disappeared.

ADGP, Law and Order, R. Hitendra, has directed the Director General of Police, CID Special Units and Economic Offences, to take up further investigation and submit a report after its completion.

Suraj Revanna, the brother of arrested former JD-S MP, Prajwal Revanna, the prime accused in the sex video scandal, was arrested early on Sunday in a forceful unnatural sex case by the Holenarasipura rural police in Hassan district after he appeared before them on Saturday night following the lodging of an FIR against him in an alleged sexual assault case lodged by a JD-S worker.

Suraj Revanna, who was charged under IPC’s Sections 377 (unnatural sex), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation), said that it was a political conspiracy against him.

“Baseless allegations are made against me and I outrightly reject these allegations. Things will be dealt with legally…,” he said.

The victim alleged that he had met Suraj Revanna at a function and the JD-S leader had allegedly shared his mobile number and started sending intimate messages with love symbols.

The man was called to Suraj Revanna’s farmhouse where he was allegedly sexually abused.

Suraj Revanna’s elder brother Prajwal Revanna has been arrested in connection with the sex video scandal. His father and JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna was also arrested in a kidnapping case linked to the sex video scandal and is out on conditional bail. His mother Bhavani Revanna is facing an investigation in the kidnapping case and was recently granted conditional bail by a court.

The Karnataka Police have also filed an FIR against two persons on charges of extortion following allegations of sexual abuse against Suraj Revanna under the IPC’s Sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation). (Agency)

NEET exam question paper seems to be leaked from a J’khand school: Source

Patna, June 23 2024-

With the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registering an FIR in the NEET question paper leak matter on the basis of the report of the Bihar Economic Offences Unit (EOU), sources claimed that officials involved in the probe suspect that the question paper was leaked from one ‘Oasis School’ in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district.

According to an EOU source, a question paper with a booklet number (6136488) was purportedly shared on the WhatsApp group of the ‘examination mafia’ in Patna. The booklet was received by that school in Hazaribagh.

During the investigation, it also appeared that the box in which the booklet reached the school was also found tampered with.

The CBI is now trying to learn whether the question paper was leaked while it was being moved to the bank, or was stolen somewhere mid-route between the bank and the examination centre.

According to a source, Sanjeev Mukhiya, an employee of Nursarai Udyan College, Nalanda, was the kingpin of the ‘paper leak gang’.

He has been allegedly conspiring with his associates to leak the NEET exam paper for the last several months.

Before the exam, according to sources, a professor had sent the paper to Sanjeev Mukhiya on WhatsApp. The paper was then made to solve by PG medical students from Patna and Ranchi.

After solving all the questions, it was sent to Chintu Kumar a.k.a. Baldev (on his cellphone) at Karayparsurai block in Nalanda district.

The Bihar EOU also came across a list of select candidates who were given the paper before the exam, and made to memorise the answers.

The EOU has so far arrested 13 people involved in connection with the matter. Besides, many others are being questioned.

Besides, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of EOU has conducted raids at Deoghar in Jharkhand and arrested six persons including Chintu Kumar — said to be a relative of the kingpin, Sanjeev Mukhiya.

According to sources, the EOU has also identified the PG medical students who solved the NEET exam paper, and 10 students from medical colleges in Patna and Ranchi are under its scanner.

The SIT learnt about the role of PG medical students on the basis of some WhatsApp chats with the accused individuals.

The accused allegedly sent the question papers to the students on their mobile phones.

Earlier, the CBI registered the FIR on Saturday night and has started the investigation.

The Education Ministry had summoned Nayyar Hasnain Khan, Additional Director General of Bihar’s EOU, and sought information related to the paper leak.

On Saturday, Khan met Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Delhi and submitted the probe reports before him.

Following the recommendation of the Central government, the CBI registered the case on Saturday night.

The NEET examination was held on May 5 and its question paper was made available to the ‘education mafia’ a day earlier, on May 4. (Agency)

Am ‘sad’ but ‘consoled’ that Priyanka will be there to represent you, Rahul tells people of Wayanad

Thiruvananthapuram, June 23 2024-

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who is set to relinquish Kerala’s Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, wrote a letter on Sunday to the people of the constituency telling them of his “sadness” at vacating the seat by being “consoled” by the fact that his sister Priyanka Gandhi, who will be the party nominee, will be there to represent them.

“I hope you are well. You must have seen the sadness in my eyes as I stood in front of the media and told you about my decision,” he said in the letter.

“So why am I sad? I met you five years ago. The first time I visited you I came asking for your support. I was a stranger to you and yet you believed in me. You embraced me with unbridled love and affection. It didn’t matter which political formation you supported, it didn’t matter which community you were from or which religion you believed in or which language you spoke.”

“When I faced abuse day after day, your unconditional love protected me. You were my refuge, my home and my family. I never felt for even a moment that you doubted me. I will never forget what I saw during the floods. Family after family who had lost everything. Life, property, friends… all gone and yet not one of you, not even the smallest child had lost your dignity,” he said in the letter.

Rahul Gandhi said that he will always “remember, the countless flowers and hugs you gave me”.

“Each one given with such genuine love and tenderness. How can I ever forget, the bravery, beauty and confidence with which young girls would translate my speeches in front of thousands of people? It was truly a joy and an honour to be your voice in Parliament. I am sad but I am consoled because my sister Priyanka will be there to represent you. I am confident that she will do an excellent job of being your MP, if you decide to give her the opportunity.”.

He further stated that he has a bond with Rae Bareli – where he was also elected in the 2024 polls and had been earlier held by his mother and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and his commitment will be with the people of both Wayanad and Rae Bareli forever.

“I will be there for each and every one of you,” he said. Rahul Gandhi won his first outing at Wayanad in 2019 by a staggering margin of 4.37 lakh but in the 2024 polls, it came down to 3.64 lakh. Now all eyes are on the margin that Priyanka Gandhi will have as the Congress-led UDF has already announced that they will strive to get her the biggest-ever margin of victory recorded in Kerala. (Agency)

SC to hear Kejriwal’s plea against interim stay on bail today

New Delhi, June 24 2024-

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday the plea moved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the interim stay ordered by the Delhi High Court on his release on bail in a money laundering case linked to the alleged liquor policy scam.

As per the supplementary causelist published on the website of the apex court, a vacation bench of Justices Manoj Misra and SVN Bhatti will hear the matter this noon.

Earlier, Kejriwal’s legal team sought an urgent hearing on his plea by the apex court.

In an interim direction, the Delhi High Court on June 21 stayed the release of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo on the Enforcement Directorate’s plea challenging the trial court’s bail order.

Halting CM Kejriwal’s release, a vacation bench of Justices Sudhir Kumar Jain and Ravinder Dudeja of the high court directed that the bail order should not be enforced until the matter is heard in full. Later that day, the Delhi High Court reserved its order in the matter and said that it would pass its order in two to three days.

The ED had requested the trial court on Thursday for a 48-hour deferral in signing the bail bond following the pronouncement of the order. However, the trial court firmly denied the ED’s plea for a stay on its order granting bail. (Agency)

Joshua Kimmich likely to depart from Bayern Munich this summer: Report

New Delhi, June 23, 2024
Joshua Kimmich and Bayern Munich’s nine year relationship may come to end as the 29-year old is not expected to renew his current contract which runs out at the end of the 2024/25 season, as per reports.

According to Sky Germany, a move is looking more and more likely this summer despite Kimmich being ready to run down the length of his contract as it allows the Bavarian giants to cash in one of their prized assets.

He joined the club in 2019 and made a reputation for being an anchor in midfield before transitioning into a wingback later on in his career. During his tenure with the most successful club in German football he played 390 games and racked up an impressive talla of 42 goals and 104 assists.

During his time in Germany he also won one UEFA Champions League, One FIFA Club World Cup, eight Bundesliga titles and three DFB Pokal Cups.

Kimmich who currently does not have an agent is looking to only sign with top clubs with Manchester City, Arsenal, FC Barcelona, Liverpool and Real Madrid considered to be the only options as of now.

He is one of the current captains in the German National team and will only take the time to make his decision at the end of the European Championship.(Agency)

Houthi drone attack hits merchant vessel in Red Sea

Aden (Yemen), June 23, 2024
A merchant vessel flying the Liberian flag was struck by a Houthi drone attack while sailing in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah early Sunday morning, a pro-government naval official told Xinhua.

The Yemeni official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the merchant vessel, identified as the “Transworld Navigator,” was targeted at approximately 5:05 a.m. local time (0205 GMT), confirming that the ship sustained damage from the direct hit, though the extent of the damage remains unspecified.

According to the official, no casualties were reported among the crew. Notably, this incident follows a separate attack on the same vessel while it was navigating the Gulf of Aden on Saturday.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving a report of an incident approximately 65 nautical miles west of Hodeidah, reported Xinhua news agency.

The UKMTO’s statement indicated that the master of a merchant vessel reported an impact from an uncrewed aerial system, which resulted in ship damage. All crew members were reported safe, and the ship was said to be proceeding to its next port of call.

The Houthi group has not officially commented on the incident. However, on Saturday, the group claimed to have targeted the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the northern Red Sea and the “Transworld Navigator” in the Arabian Sea with multiple missiles.

The group also announced joint operations with Iraqi armed factions, allegedly targeting five ships in the Israeli port of Haifa and the Mediterranean Sea.

These attacks are part of a broader campaign by the Houthis, which began in November 2023, targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group claims to be targeting vessels associated with Israel or en route to Israeli ports, citing the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip as justification.

In response to these attacks, the United States and Britain launched a military operation in January, including air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. This intervention has led the Houthi group to expand its targeting to include American and British commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

This ongoing conflict along the vital shipping lanes of the Red Sea and surrounding waters continues to raise concerns about maritime security and global trade implications.(Agency)

TN hooch tragedy: Kamal Haasan calls for psychiatric counselling of ‘careless’ victims

Chennai, June 23, 2024
Superstar and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) leader Kamal Haasan met the victims of the illicit liquor case in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi on Sunday and sought to hold them responsible for their situation.

The actor-turned-politician, interacting with reporters after meeting the victims, said that they have been “careless” with drinking. He said that the victims must understand that they have “exceeded their limits and have been careless” and that keeping oneself restrained is the need of the hour.

“They have to be careful and have to take care of their health. My request to the government is that they create psychiatric centres which will counsel them out of this,” said the MNM chief, adding that drinking has to be “occasional and social, if at all.”

Stressing on the consequences of drinking, he said: “They (victims) need to understand that everything in excess is bad, be it sugar or drinking. Specifically, drinking and driving, drinking and going to the office is bad, and soon it might make its way into the culture.”

The hooch tragedy recently unfolded in Karunapuram village, a Dalit-dominated area in the Kallakurichi district of the state, where consumption of spurious liquor led to the deaths of 56 people while leaving as many as 200 hospitalised.

The spate of deaths due to spurious liquor has also drawn the attention and wrath of the courts. The Madras High Court on Saturday came down on the M.K. Stalin-led DMK government over this incident and demanded a detailed report on the measures undertaken to curb the sale of illicit liquor in the state.

For the unversed, a similar tragedy occurred last year in the Velupuram district, claiming 22 lives. Earlier, on Sunday morning, BJP MP Sambit Patra slammed DMK and the INDIA bloc for not addressing the issue and termed the incident as a “state-sponsored murder.”

AIADMK chief K. Palaniswami, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, also lashed out at the state government’s failure to contain the crisis and said that DMK had not “learnt its lesson”.(Agency)

Bajwa only needs to climb 12 stairs to be in the BJP: AAP

Chandigarh, June 23, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has reacted sharply to the statement of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Pratap Singh Bajwa, in which he said that 45 MLAs of AAP Punjab are in touch with the BJP.

Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and Punjab Government Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema termed Pratap Bajwa as an agent of the BJP and said that it is clear from his statement that Bajwa is working for the BJP while staying in the Congress.

He said that Bajwa can climb 12 stairs in his house and join the BJP himself anytime. A BJP flag is already hoisted at his house. Cheema said that Bajwa’s statement shows that his body is in Congress but his heart beats for BJP. He is like BJP’s impact player in Congress.

Cheema said that on one hand the central leadership of Congress says that BJP is working against democracy and constitution. It has misused power and toppled the governments of more than half a dozen elected opposition parties in the last 10 years. On the other hand, Pratap Bajwa is supporting these anti-constitutional activities of the BJP in Punjab.

He said that we will inform the central leadership of Congress about this statement of Bajwa and request them to be careful of leaders like Pratap Singh Bajwa. He said that the Congress party is in more danger from BJP’s agents like Pratap Bajwa who stay in Congress but work against them

While giving advice to the BJP, Harpal Cheema said that all the MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party are true soldiers of Arvind Kejriwal. They neither have any fear of BJP nor can BJP’s Operation Lotus break them. He said that the BJP should know that our MLAs are loyal to the people of Punjab and their party. No one can buy or break them.

Spanish GP: Verstappen pips Norris to top spot, Hamilton breaks podium drought

Barcelona, June 23, 2024
Max Verstappen has won the Spanish Grand Prix marking his seventh victory out of the ten races that have taken place during the 2024/25 season.

It was Lando Norris who started the race at pole but lost the lead in the very first corner when he went too wide trying to block a charging Verstappen giving surprise contender George Russell the space to move from P4 to P1. Lando Norris fell to P3 just seconds later and fell behind the Red Bull.

Verstappen went on to overtake the Mercedes in the third lap and secured a marginable lead that ultimately secured the second consecutive win for the three-time world champion.

Despite the poor start Lando was in the thick of the action. He engaged in brilliant wheel to wheel action with Russell and a P2 finish for the British driver also secured the trophy for Driver of the Day for the Mclaren star.

Lewis Hamilton recently spoke on the improvement of performance in the car after recent upgrades which was on full display on the day as he overtook his Mercedes teammate to secure a P3 finish in what was the seven-time World Champion’s 198th podium finish and his first since the Mexico GP last season.

The two Ferrari’s came close to disaster as they had contact between them in the very first lap. Another cause for concern for the team will be the lack in race speed which was expected as the team introduced major new upgrades to the car but still seemed to be the fourth fastest team on the track which saw Leclerc finish fifth and Sainz end at sixth place.

With the win Max Verstappen has now scored 219 points in the drivers championship building a sizable lead on second placed Lando Norris who has 150 points to his name.

Red Bull on the other hand have a cause for concern in the Constructors Championship as Sergio Perez once again disappointed with his outing. The side has 330 points followed by Ferrari at 270 points and Mclaren at 237.(Agency)