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Another assassination bid on Donald Trump: Who is Ryan Routh and how his attempt to assassinate Trump reveals troubling political extremism in the US

Anurag
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Another assassination bid on Donald Trump: Who is Ryan Routh and how his attempt to assassinate Trump reveals troubling political extremism in the US

On 15th September (local time), a man identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested for an attempted assassination of former President of the United States, Donald Trump. He was spotted less than 500 metres away from the family golf course of Trump, located in West Palm Beach, where the former president was present at the time of the gunfire. Trump’s Secret Service detail spotted Routh and fired multiple shots at him, but he managed to escape. He was later arrested based on information provided by eyewitnesses.

Ryan has a long criminal history

According to CBS News, Ryan Routh has a long criminal history. His recent address was listed in Hawaii, but for most of his life, he lived in North Carolina. He owned Camp Box Honolulu, which is a shed-building company.

His criminal record shows that Routh has had problems with the law for decades. According to North Carolina Department of Corrections records, in 2002, he was charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, which is a felony. In another incident, he was charged with misdemeanours that included resisting arrest, concealed weapons violations, and a hit-and-run offence. Routh was also accused of writing bad cheques on multiple occasions, according to the reports.

Routh appeared in a Nazi battalion video

He also appeared in an Azov battalion propaganda video in 2022. Azov is a Nazi battalion. He can be seen at 1:40 minute timestamp.

The Azov Battalion is a Ukrainian far-right, nationalist paramilitary group formed in 2014 during the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. Originally a volunteer militia, it gained notoriety for its neo-Nazi ideologies and use of Nazi symbols. Despite its controversial origins, the battalion was later incorporated into Ukraine’s National Guard. Its extreme views and actions contradict Western democratic values, yet the group has received tacit support from NATO and the USA in their broader strategy against Russian aggression.

Criticised Trump online

In the primary election in North Carolina, Routh voted for the Democratic Party. North Carolina State Board of Elections records showed that he voted in person and appeared to be registered as an unaffiliated voter.

His online activity made it clear that he did not like Donald Trump and had criticised him online. Though his X and Facebook accounts have been scrapped by the social media companies, screenshots of several of his tweets, a list of his followers, and other information are being circulated widely.

In one of his posts about Trump, he wrote, “@realDonaldTrump While you were my choice in 2016, I and the world hoped that President Trump would be different and better than the candidate, but we all were greatly disappointed and it seems you are getting worse and devolving,” he wrote in a June 2020 post. “I will be glad when you [are] gone.”

Old post from now-deleted account of Ryan Routh on X. Source: BillboardChris

In other posts, he referred to the 13th July assassination attempt on Trump and suggested that President Biden and VP Harris should visit the injured and attend the funeral of the rally attendee who was killed during the gunfire.

Passionate about Ukraine

As more information about him comes to light, it has been revealed that he was a passionate supporter of Ukraine amid the Russia-Ukraine war. His social media posts were full of pro-Ukraine views and talked about travelling overseas, hoping to fight for Ukraine in the “war against Russia in 2022”.

In an interview with Newsweek Romania in 2022, he said, “My initial goal was to come fight … but I’m 56, so initially they were like, I have no military experience, so they were like, you’re not an ideal candidate. So, they said, not right this minute. So plan B was to come here to Kyiv and promote getting more people here.”

In the video, Ryan expressed his strong belief that the conflict in Ukraine was a clear battle between good and evil, likening it to a storybook scenario where the moral lines are clearly defined. He emphasised the importance of global solidarity and unity, urging everyone to support Ukraine. Ryan travelled from Hawaii to Ukraine with the initial intention of fighting but was deemed not an ideal candidate due to his age and lack of military experience. Instead, he shifted his focus to promoting the cause and encouraging others to join.

Alleged links to Democrats

Some social media posts claim that Routh had links to Rep Adam Kinzinger through his support of Ukraine.

However, Kinzinger denied the allegations in a social media post on X. Quoting an X user AJ Huber, he wrote, “Never heard of this dude before today. Nice try. By the way you put God stuff all over your profile. May want to try following his teachings about truth.”

The United States needs a reality check sooner rather than later

The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump by Ryan Routh exposed the deranged normalisation of violent rhetoric and actions by radical left liberals. While these individuals often position themselves as defenders of democracy, they do not hesitate to indulge in extreme actions, such as cheering for violence against political opponents. When the first attempt on Donald Trump happened on 13th July, there was a flood of social media posts expressing sympathy for the shooter, and some even showed anger that the shooter missed.

This disturbing trend of supporting violence against opposing ideologies coincides with the hypocrisy of the United States. While the so-called superpower of the world preaches democracy globally, it struggles to uphold the basic principles of democracy within its borders. The United States has a long history of interfering in the internal affairs of foreign countries and even toppling governments that the West does not favour.

Furthermore, the rampant gun violence, widespread crime, and political unrest in the United States are completely at odds with the image it projects to the world. The recent attack on Trump serves as a stark reminder of how political polarisation and unchecked radicalism are eroding the roots of democracy in the US.

Love Jihad in UP: Azam Zaidi lures a Hindu girl into marriage under false pretences, rapes and tortures her after being exposed

OpIndia Staff
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Love Jihad in UP: Azam Zaidi lures a Hindu girl into marriage under false pretences, rapes and tortures her after being exposed

A case of love jihad has come to light in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district where a Hindu woman along with her daughter has pleaded for justice in the court. She revealed that Mohammad Azam Zaidi first trapped her by posing as a Hindu and started harassing her after marriage. After the court’s order, the authorities registered a case and arrested the accused on 15th September.

The entire case, according to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP-South) Barabanki Akhilesh Narayan Singh, pertains to a neighbourhood that falls under the jurisdiction of the police station. The woman’s complaint stated that the perpetrator befriended her by introducing himself as Hindu. He then lured her into love jihad and they tied the knot in 2016. However, she learned about the truth after the marriage and protested. He then started forcing himself on her. He even assaulted her and threatened to kill their daughter when she didn’t comply.

Afterwards, he divorced her as she continued to resist. “She tried to make peace with her troubling circumstances but he relentlessly tortured her after which she submitted the complaint,” he added. The culprit was booked under relevant sections. He was then apprehended and thrown behind bars.

According to other reports, the victim came to know about the offender’s real identity after he seduced her into a love affair. However, he pressured her into a physical relationship and threatened to defame her. He sexually assaulted her regularly for a long period and she became pregnant after which she pushed him into marrying her. They eventually wed in September 2016 and she gave birth to a daughter in 2017. His behaviour post the development changed and he left her wife and child. The distressed woman then filed a complaint and a case was lodged against him. Further inquiry into the matter is now underway.

Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde spreads fake news about Adani Group, says will only believe Zubair and Alt News about Adani Group’s press releases

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court advocate Sanjay Hegde spreads fake news about Adani Group, says will only believe Zubair and Alt News about Adani Group’s press releases

On Monday, 16th September, a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India, Sanjay Hegde, spread fake news saying that Adani Group had admitted to bribing several government shareholders to get government projects. Sanjay Hegde shared a fake letter dated 10th September, indicating that the company would release the names of government shareholders and individuals who have benefited from the company investments and bribes.

“Which idiot in Adani company has drafted this press release? Do you realize that you have just admitted to paying bribes? This release might haunt you in criminal cases hereafter. NEVER PLEAD GUILTY as Rumpole would have said,” Hegde said on X as he shared the fake letter. However, team OpIndia checked the official website of the Adani Group and found that no such press statement has been released by the company on 10th September or on any date for that matter

The fake letter shared by Supreme Court advocate Hegde this morning was titled “Adani denounces baseless accusations and threats.” However, no such letter was found to be officially released by the company.

Netizens, meanwhile, bashed Advocate Hegde for sharing the fake letter after which the Supreme Court advocate deleted the letter. Netizens compared the original press statements by Adani and said that there were several discrepancies in signatures, letter addresses, and logos.

One of the users also highlighted that the letter had been tampered, with the left-top corner where usually the logo of the company is displayed, highlighting that the letter was fake. Others, meanwhile, slammed Hegde for sharing a fake letter. The post was eventually deleted by Hegde.

This comes on the day when Adani Group and an African Development Bank unit have been awarded a public-private partnership concession to build power transmission lines in Kenya. The concession is valued at $1.3 billion.

After everyone online called out Sanjay Hegde for the fake news, he said that he won’t believe any facts unless certified by Alt News and Mohammed Zubair.

Bareilly Hindus not letting Muslim procession pass – No, they are not ‘Islamophobic’ but Muslim were Hinduphobic during Kanwar Yatra. Here is the full story

OpIndia Staff
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Bareilly Hindus not letting Muslim procession pass – No, they are not ‘Islamophobic’ but Muslim were Hinduphobic during Kanwar Yatra. Here is the full story

In the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh, several Hindus blocked the Eid Milad-un-Nabi procession taken out by Muslims on 15th September. The protesting Hindus blocked the road to stop the Muslim procession from passing. This comes after Muslim mobs had earlier stopped the Kanwar Yatra from passing from the same Joginwada of the Baradari area.

On Sunday (15th September), a Jalsa-e-Mohammadi of about 120 Anjumans was to be taken out in Bareilly on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-nabi. In the afternoon, the officials came to know that the people of the route from where the procession is taken out every year have opposed it. When the local Hindus refused to let the procession pass even after a lot of persuasion, the police-administration officers held a meeting with the heads of the Anjumans and discussed a new route.

After much deliberation, a decision was made to take out the Eid procession from Maurya Gali in Joginwada. However, after receiving this information, the Hindus of Maurya Gali took to the road. They stated that, just as they were not permitted to take the Kanwar Yatra from this path last year, they will not let the Jalsa-e-Mohammadi procession pass from here. Upon getting the information, a huge number of police forces arrived and tried to persuade both the Hindu and the Muslim sides to calm down the situation.

While several Islamists have accused the protesting Hindus of being Islamophobic, the local Hindus are of the opinion that if their peaceful Kanwar Yatra procession was not allowed by local Muslims, why should they allow the Eid procession to pass from their area.

Reports say the head of Dargah Aala Hazrat, Subhani Miyan, was adamant that if the route was not given from Ravi ki Chakki in Jagatpur, then they would not take out the procession. However, the Hindu residents of the area were opposed to the Muslim side’s attempt to form a new route for the Eid procession.

It is worth noting that the Yogi government has announced new guidelines for Barawafaat. The Yogi government has issued multiple stern directions in the new guidelines, including a prohibition on the organisation of non-traditional events in the procession and a ban on the display of weapons and hooliganism. In addition, directives have been given to monitor CCTV cameras and drones for security purposes in order to avoid any unpleasant incidents.

Attacks on Hindu processions in Bareilly

Notably, this is not the first time that the two communities have come face to face in a communally sensitive Bareilly. Last year, the same Joginwada area was at the centre of a conflict started by Muslims against Hindus. Islamists pelted stones at a group of Kanwariyas near Shahnoori mosque in the Joginwada locality in Bareilly city of Uttar Pradesh. Nearly a dozen Kanwariyas and some police personnel were injured in the incident. The incident took place when Kanwariyas were en route to Budaun to fetch holy water from the river Ganga. The Kanwariya groups were to perform ‘jalabhishek’ at the nearby Vankandinath temple. However, they were faced with a barrage of stones from Islamists.

In July 2022, the residents of Paragwa village in Bareilly led by the Gram Pradhan Shakina and her father-in-law Ishtiaq threw contaminated water on the Kanwariyas while they were passing through the village. The villagers also pelted stones at the pilgrims. The attackers were arrested later.  

In August 2022, local Muslims residing in the Muslim-dominated Dunka village in the Shergarh Block in Bareilly stopped Kanwariyas from entering the area even as it was their traditional route. Back in 2019, a similar incident was reported during Krishna Janmashtami in Bareilly wherein people from the Muslim community started pelting stones at devotees during a Janmashtami procession taken out by Hindus.

Attacked for organising Ganesh festival: Yasir booked in Maharashtra’s Daund for attacking the head of Ganesh Pandal with sharp weapons. Read FIR details

Siddhi Somani
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Attacked for organising Ganesh festival: Yasir booked in Maharashtra’s Daund for attacking the head of Ganesh Pandal with sharp weapons. Read FIR details

On Saturday, 14th September, Maharashtra Police in Pune’s Daund area booked one Yasin Ismail Sayyed for assaulting a man for organizing the Ganesh Festival program in the city. The accused used a sharp weapon to it the victim identified as Sitara Torve and threatened him with death for conducting programs amid the Hindu festival, Ganeshotsav.

The accused has been booked under sections 109, 118(1), and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita. Team OpIndia obtained the FIR copy of the incident. The incident is said to have happened on 14th September when the victim was going home on his bike after the Ganeshotsav event.

Victim Torve is the head of the local ‘Raje Shiv Chhatrapati Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Mandal’ which worships Lord Ganesh publicly and also organizes various entertainment programs as a part of the festival. On 13th September, the Mandal organized a ‘Home Minister’ event honouring the local women during which the accused called Torve and asked him to stop the program. “I am Yasin speaking. You are the head of the Mandal. Will you please stop the event?” Yasin was quoted as asking in the FIR.

The victim could not properly attend the call due to heavy noise being played amid the event, hence he cut the call. The next day, Yasin stopped Torve while he was on his way home on his bike and hit him with the handle of a sharp weapon. Torve happened to lose control of the vehicle and fell to the ground. Yasin then threatened the latter saying that he (Torve) failed to attend his call the last night.

Yasin also said that he would kill Torve for organizing programs as a part of Ganesh Mandal. “I had called you yesterday to stop the event. Why didn’t it stop? You are the head of the Mandal. Now I’ll kill you for organizing programs. Then will see who dares to become the next head of the Mandal,” Yasin said as he threatened the victim.

The accused then brutally assaulted the victim causing injuries on his head, feet, and legs. The incident happened on the street. Eventually, locals came to help the victim after which the accused fled from the spot. FIR in this case has been booked under sections 109, 118(1), and 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, 2023. No arrests have yet been made. Further probe is underway.

Past attacks on Ganesh Pandals across India

This is not the first of its kind attack. Earlier, several Islamists across the country have targeted the Ganeshotsav pandals this year. On 6th September, Hindu youths carrying an idol of Bhagwan Ganesh were attacked by Islamists in the Mundra area of Kutch district, Gujarat. The accused, Hamja, Garooq, and three others were chatting on the street. They argued and assaulted the Hindu youths as the latter asked them to pave the way to take the idol to the pandal.

On 7th September, miscreants pelted stones at a Bhagwan Ganesh idol in Mochipura of Ratlam district in Madhya Pradesh. The attack led to massive protests, and around 500 people surrounded the Station Road police station, raising slogans against the stone pelters. An FIR was registered in the matter.

On the 7th and 8th of September, stones were pelted at a Ganeshotsav pandal in the Lal Gate area of Surat, Gujarat. As per reports, some Muslim minors pelted stones at the pandal, leading to hundreds of Hindus protesting and demanding strict action. The police swiftly swung into action and made some arrests. Security was increased in the area.

On 11th September, communal clashes erupted in the Mandya district of Karnataka after stones were pelted at the Ganesh idol near a dargah in Nagamangala town on Mysuru Road.

On 14th September, stones were pelted at a Ganesh Visarjan procession in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh. The incident led to communal clashes between two groups, and they assaulted each other, resulting in a law and order situation. Following the incident, Hindu organizations raised slogans outside the police station, demanding action against the attackers. Additional police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order.

Ganesh celebrations are targeted even in Bangladesh

Not only in India but Hindu celebrations in Bangladesh were also disrupted by Islamists. On 6th September, a procession of Hindu devotees carrying the idol of Lord Ganesha came under attack in the Kadam Mubarak area in  Chittagong city of Bangladesh. The incident occurred a day before the  Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations were scheduled to be held in the city. As per reports, members of the ‘Batargalli Dhwapara Sarbajanin Puja Committee’ were bringing the idol of the Hindu deity in a van from the factory of artisan Uttam Pal.

At that time, hot water was thrown on the Lord Ganesha idol and the Hindu devotees from a high-rise building on Momin Road. It must be mentioned that the said building is close to the Kadam Mubarak mosque. The deliberate attack led to a heated argument between the devotees and residents of the building.

According to eyewitnesses, bricks were also hurled at the Hindu procession. A young Hindu man, who was hurt during the incident, informed that another Hindu devotee sustained serious injuries to his head.

Hindus in Bangladesh have been facing terror since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government. Detailed reports regarding the same can be read here.

Saket Gokhale spreads fake news about Vande Bharat sleeper trains, Railways Ministry punctures his lies: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Saket Gokhale spreads fake news about Vande Bharat sleeper trains, Railways Ministry punctures his lies: Here is what happened

On Monday (16th September) morning, Saket Gokhale took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to spread fake news about the contract awarded to make Vande Bharat sleeper trains.

In his tweet, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP claimed that the cost of construction of these trains has been increased to 50%. He alleged a ‘quid pro quo corruption’ on the part of the Modi government.

“Modi Govt has revised the ₹58,000 crores contract for making Vande Bharat sleeper trains. A train that cost ₹290 crores earlier will now cost ₹436 crores. This is a train with ONLY AC coaches that (the) poor cannot afford,” Gokhale claimed.

Screengrab of the tweet by Saket Gokhale

“Who is benefiting from this 50% cost increase in Vande Bharat contract?” he brazened out. The TMC MP alleged that the initial contract was for making 200 Vande Bharat sleeper trains at a cost of ₹58000 crores.

He claimed that the number of trains has been decreased to 133 in the new contract and that the cost of making one train has increased to ₹436 crores from ₹290 crores.

However, the lies of Saket Gokhale were soon debunked by the Ministry of Railways, which highlighted a missing fact in his propaganda-laden tweet.

In the new contract, the number of Vande Bharat sleeper train coaches has been increased from 16 to 24. This was done keeping in mind the growing demand for train travel.

“Cost per coach multiplied by number of coaches equals the cost of the train. We have increased the number of coaches from 16 to 24 to make longer trains, keeping the total number of coaches in contract constant,” the Railways Ministry highlighted the missing context in Gokhale’s tweet.

The total number of train coaches as per the previous contract was 3200 (200 trains with each train having 60 coaches). Now, a total of 3192 coaches will be constructed (133 trains with 24 coaches).

Railways reduced total contract value by increasing train length

By doing so, the Ministry of Railways was able to significantly reduce the cost of the contract. “The total contract value has actually reduced because there are economies when train length is increased,” it clarified.

The Ministry also dismissed the contention that Vande Bharat sleeper trains are designed to serve ‘rich Indians. It pointed out, “We are making record number non AC coaches (12000) looking at the high demand for railway travel.”

But despite being exposed, the TMC MP went on a deranged rant on Twitter.

The wild conspiracy theories and fake claims of Saket Gokhale

Amidst the anti-CAA protests in January 2020, Gokhale had claimed that the Delhi Police permitted him to hold a rally and chant “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko.” The RTI activist did not exhibit any proof or approval letter from the Delhi police that could substantiate his claims.

He later made amends to his insidious claims and alleged that the police requested him to re-schedule his protest after February 8 that year in light of the Model Code of Conduct.

Without verifying the details of the case, left-wing propaganda site The Wire, and Congress mouthpiece National Herald published his claims to suggest that Delhi police found nothing objectionable with the slogans.

Forced by circumstances, the Delhi police took to Twitter to expose the lie being peddled by Gokhale.

While dubbing the claims as baseless and false, the DCP New Delhi said, “It is hereby clarified that no permission to hold a protest on 02.02.2020 has been given to Sh. Saket Gokhale. A copy of his request letter is being circulated in social media as permission, which is not the case.”

In June 2020, Saket Gokhale peddled wild conspiracy theories about a ‘ventilator scam’ after the first batch of ventilators procured using the PM CARES fund was made available to hospitals.

In a seven-part thread, Gokhale alleged that ₹750+ crore had gone ‘missing’ from the funds allotted for procuring ventilators under the PM CARES fund.

Soon, other Congress minions spread the same as gospel truth and claimed that there was a ‘ventilator scam’ underway.

All the fake claims were then debunked by the CMD of BEL (Bharat Electronic Limited), a professional Defence electronics company in India. In February 2021, BEL filed a ₹1 crore defamation suit against the RTI activist for spreading lies.

On August 14, 2020, the Wall Street Journal published a report alleging that a senior executive of the social media giant Facebook was allegedly favouring the ruling BJP government. Soon after, Ankhi Das, the public policy director of Facebook, came under attack by the Congress party and its trolls.

Saket Gokhale was one of those who insinuated that Ankhi Das had links with RSS-affiliated groups. He claimed that Ankhi Das had “attended sessions” of the World Organization of Students & Youth (WOSY), a youth group, which is led by her sister, Rashmi Das.

The TMC spokesman also said that WOSY’s office was located in the same building as an RSS outfit in Delhi.

In a hurry to target Ankhi Das, Gokhale went on to post an image of the WOSY event to claim that the public policy Director of Facebook was attending the event. However, the image was that of Ankhi Das’ twin sister Dr Rashmi Das.

In a statement, WOSY had threatened legal action against Gokhale for peddling misinformation. It added that Dr Rashmi Das’ association with WOSY was purely voluntary and aimed to spread the concept of ‘Vasudeva Kuttambakam’ among international students living in India.

In April 2021, he was caught peddling lies to defend the Maharashtra government’s harassment of Bruck Pharma director over Remdesivir supply. He later complained with Maharashtra Home Minister about how Leader of the Opposition Devendra Fadnavis or the BJP, as private players, could obtain a crucial drug when its sale is allowed only to the state government.

Travelled farther into space than any other human in more than 50 years: SpaceX creates history, completes world’s first commercial spacewalk

OpIndia Staff
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Travelled farther into space than any other human in more than 50 years: SpaceX creates history, completes world’s first commercial spacewalk

On Sunday (15th September), SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn crew returned to Earth after a five-day mission that featured the world’s first commercial spacewalk. 

According to SpaceX’s event webcast, the Dragon capsule touched down off the coast of Florida soon after 03:37 local time (07:37 GMT). “Splashdown of Dragon confirmed! Welcome back to Earth,” SpaceX posted. NASA meanwhile described the mission as a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry.

As per the reports, the temperatures neared 1,900C (3,500 degrees Fahrenheit) due to the high pressure and friction of moving through the air at almost 7,000mph (27,000 kph) when the spacecraft re-entered the earth’s atmosphere. 

A team of 4 civilian members led by billionaire Jared Isaacman created history as they travelled farther into space than any other humans for more than 50 years.  The other team members included Scott Poteet, a retired US Air Force pilot, as well as SpaceX staffers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

Isaacman and Gillis further will now be known as the first non-professional crew to complete a spacewalk, a dangerous maneuver that includes depressurizing the crew compartment and exiting the ship. Until this voyage, only astronauts from government-funded space agencies had attempted this task. Images transmitted live showed the two crew members emerging from the white Dragon capsule and floating 435 miles (700 kilometers) above the blue Earth below.

During the spacewalk, Isaacman addressed mission control in Hawthorne, California saying, “Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do, but from here — looks like a perfect world”. Since the Dragon does not have an airlock, the crew was exposed to the vacuum of space all through their spacewalk. This record-breaking spacewalk was made possible only using sophisticated astronaut suits outfitted with cutting-edge technology.

During the five days, the crew carried out over 40 experiments, including research into the effects of space flights on human health and inter-satellite laser communication between the Dragon Spacecraft and Space X’s Starlink satellite.

Gillis, a qualified violinist, performed “Rey’s Theme” from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” on her instrument alongside orchestras set on the Earth. Her rendition was beamed back to Earth via SpaceX’s Starlink as a demonstration of the satellite network’s ability to provide in-space communication.

The said video was made in collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, for which the Polaris Program raised funds throughout the trip. The crew spent five days in orbit inside the Dragon spacecraft, called Resilience, which was launched last week on Tuesday, 10th September morning from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission created history by reaching a maximum altitude of 1,400 kilometers (870 miles), the highest any person has flown since the final Apollo mission in 1972.

What happened during the first-ever commercial spacewalk

The first-ever commercial spacewalk was delayed by roughly 2.5 hours, beginning at 10:50 GMT after the spacecraft’s hatch was opened.

Before leaving, the pressure inside the capsule was gradually adjusted as part of the pre-breathing process, which prepares the astronauts’ bodies. When the hatch was opened, the spacecraft was in an elliptical orbit 736 kilometers (457 miles) above the Earth’s surface at a speed of more than 25,000 kilometers per hour (at least 15,500 mph).

As a billionaire mission commander, Jared Isaacman unlocked the hatch and stepped forward to broadcast the first view of the solar system from outside, the SpaceX crew on Earth erupted in excitement. He began limb movements that he had memorized before to test out mobility in outer space.

After a few minutes with his body partially outside the hatch, the 41-year-old Isaacman stepped aside and was succeeded by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, 30, who went through similar movements, turning side to side and flexing her limbs to see how the new spacesuit, intended to protect the crew from the harsh vacuum, would hold up.

They were the only ones to pass through the hatch, which was secured by a 12-foot (3.6-metre) rope attached to the ship. They used Skywalker, a hatch structure equipped with the company’s hand-held mobility assistance technology, but neither entirely exited the hatch. The other two team members meanwhile performed their own mobility and transmission tasks.

SpaceX’ mission

The Polaris program’s main purpose is to develop and test technologies that will enable SpaceX to proceed toward its long-term goal of traveling to and establishing interplanetary communities on other planets, particularly Mars.

The dangerous spacewalk conducted recently was intended to test the company’s new Extravehicular Activity (EVA) astronaut suits, which had been created and put together expressly for this mission over the course of two years. As private space travel grows in popularity, SpaceX hopes to develop a suit design to accommodate different body types at a cheaper cost. 

The SpaceX suits lack a Primary Life Support System (PLSS), a set of support equipment worn like a backpack by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that allows them to move more freely in space and do more advanced jobs outside the space station. The crew’s trimmed-down suit indicates that they received their life support (oxygen) through the long tubes attached to their spaceship.

The business intends to learn from the impacts of high altitude and radiation exposure during the experimental trip. The laser and satellite communications checks would enable future connectivity enhancements.

Apart from this, NASA says there are presently 19 individuals on missions in Earth’s orbit, which is an all-time high. They include seven ISS staff members, a three-person crew of the Soyuz mission preparing for a crew swap at the ISS, three astronauts on China’s Tiangong space station, and two test pilots of the Boeing Starliner flight to the ISS who will return to Earth in early 2025.

While everybody is cheering around the current event, some reports suggest that the project violates a provision of the Outer Space Treaty, which was ratified by world powers in 1967 during the Cold War. The article states that non-government entities’ actions in outer space must be authorized and monitored by a state party. Polaris Dawn is not a NASA mission, neither it is regulated by the US government.

Dear Print, as a Bengali Hindu, what has ‘hit us where it hurts’ is the slaughter of our Hindu brothers – nobody gives a shit about Hilsa

Dibakar Dutta
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Dear Print, as a Bengali Hindu, what has ‘hit us where it hurts’ is the slaughter of our Hindu brothers – nobody gives a shit about Hilsa

The Islamist onslaught on Hindus in Bangladesh is far from over. Ever since the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, radical Muslim groups have unleashed their terror on religious minorities.

The neighbouring country, which has descended into complete chaos since 5th August, has witnessed killings of Hindus and large-scale attacks on the temples, shops and businesses of the minority community.

OpIndia had previously reported how the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus reversed the annual ritual of sending consignments of Hilsa fish (originating from the Padma River) to India before Durga Puja, which was followed by his predecessor Sheikh Hasina.

Screengrab of the article by The Print

We explained in detail how the controversial ‘Nobel laureate’ had been pandering to radical Muslim groups, spearheading the ‘Boycott India’ campaign (without any success) in Bangladesh since last year.

At a time when the interim government in Bangladesh (clearly oblivious of the consequences of potential retaliatory measures from India) is busy displaying false bravado to its home crowd, a vicious article published by The Print is now massaging its already inflated ego.

‘Journalist’ Tina Das, who works as a senior correspondent at the news portal, wrote an article titled “Bangladesh has hit us where it hurts. Durga Puja will be incomplete without Hilsa” and furthered the narrative of ‘India Out’ campaigners in Bangladesh.

Delulu is not the solulu

“Bangladesh has hit us where it hurts. It has banned the export of Padma Hilsa or Ilish to India a month before Durga Puja. The Hilsa is not just a fish. It is both an emotion and an initiation ritual. It’s food that makes us work—we have to sift through its endless bones to understand the near-perfect texture of the freshwater fish. And it’s all the more important during Durga Puja, West Bengal’s biggest celebration. It’s when Bengalis unleash their foodie side to gorge on the most delectable dishes. The Padma Hilsa occupies the top spot,” Das claimed.

She went on to allege that a ban on Hilsa export by Bangladesh was akin “to denying basic rights to Bengalis. “Bangladeshi Ilish from Padma, a distributary of river Ganga, is essential to Bengali pujo food,” the ‘journalist’ working for ‘The Print’ alleged.

The subservient tone of the article gave the false impression to Bangladeshi radicals that Indian Bengalis are somehow been at the receiving end of ‘suffering’ due to the ban on the export of the Hilsa fish.

They are made to believe that the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, stood up to mighty India and gave a ‘befitting reply to the big bully’ – a delusion that is harboured by ‘India Out’ campaigners in Bangladesh. The reality, however, is starkly different.

None gives a damn about Hilsa when national sentiments are at stake

For starters, Hilsa (also called Illish in Bangla) is not the staple food of Indian Bengalis. It is an exotic fish, the price of which ranges between ₹1800 – ₹3600 per kilogram. It is equivalent to buying at least 9 kg of chicken or 2 kg of mutton.

Due to its overpriced nature, Hilsa is out of the reach of common Bengalis. Although well-to-do Bengali families consume Hilsa during special occasions, it is not tied to Durga Puja (contrary to the claims of The Print ‘journalist’ Tina Das).

To add to it, Hilsa is also bred in India. According to the data, the annual domestic production of the exotic fish stood at 0.14 lakh tonnes in 2021.

It can easily cater to a small segment of consumers in India, especially since the ulterior motive behind the export ban of Hilsa by Bangladesh is evident.

Bengalis living in India, barring comrades and sympathisers of extremists in Bangladesh, are more than willing to forego an exotic fish, given that a rogue neighbour wants to settle scores with us. No fish is more important than safeguarding national sentiment.

Bangladeshis elated by subservient ‘The Print’ article, Hindu Bengalis have their priorities

But the damage to the Indian narrative has already been done. I came across Bangladeshi nationals, celebrating on Facebook, after reading the article by Tina Das.

The anti-India radicals are elated at the thought of ‘hurting us successfully’, without realising that the average Indian Bengali does not care about Hilsa import from Bangladesh. An overpriced fish, imported from a hostile nation, is not our priority.

We are concerned about the targeted attacks on the vulnerable Hindu community in Bangladesh, the destruction of livelihood, desecration of places of worship by radical Muslim mobs.

We are aghast at the nefarious attempt to downplay violence against Hindus as ‘fake‘, ‘exaggerated‘ or ‘politically motivated‘.

With full support from dubious ‘fact checkers’ and extremist supporters from India, radicals in Bangladesh have been targeting Hindus with impunity. Our priority is crystal clear concerning Bangladesh.

We demand a complete cessation of attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh and prosecution of those involved in the heinous crimes. We do not give a shit about Padma Hilsa when Hindus are being killed in Bangladesh.

If India stops the export of rice, onion and electricity to Bangladesh, then, the enthusiasm of these new-age radicals from our neighbouring country will be put to rest forever.

Another assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump: Shooter with AK-47 enters Trump family’s Florida golf club

OpIndia Staff
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Another assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump: Shooter with AK-47 enters Trump family’s Florida golf club

On 15th September (local time), a second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was reported following gunshots at Trump International Golf Club in Florida. His campaign declared that Trump was safe following the gunfire. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that its investigation revealed the gunfire appeared to be an attempted assassination on Trump.

The incident took place in the afternoon at Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach, raising fresh concerns over the efficacy of the US Secret Service’s protective measures.

Notably, this is the second attempt on Trump’s life, occurring months before the Presidential elections in the United States scheduled for November this year. West Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a statement during a press conference that Secret Service agents fired shots around 1:30 PM ET after they spotted a rifle barrel. The assailant was reportedly 300-500 yards (275-475 meters) away from Trump when the incident happened.

According to media reports, a witness provided crucial information about the assailant, including a photograph of him fleeing in a black Nissan. Law enforcement agencies used the information to swiftly capture the assailant, who was later taken into custody by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Later, the assailant was identified as Ryan Routh. Reportedly, he was seen aiming an AK-47 at Trump when Secret Service agents spotted him. The assailant was heavily armed at the time of the incident. Although 58-year-old Routh managed to escape, he was later caught by security agencies on I-95.

According to reports, Routh has been a long-time Democrat supporter. Since 2019, he has made 19 donations totaling USD 140, according to records from the Federal Election Commission (FEC). He also supported former Representative for Hawaii Tulsi Gabbard, who was previously a Democrat but now supports Trump.

Following the incident, Trump issued a statement assuring his supporters that he was safe. In his statement in a fundraising email, Trump said, “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumours start spiralling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” He further added, “Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me.”

Source: Screenshot from Trump’s campaign website.

Senator of Ohio, JD Vance, and Senator of South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, both close allies of Trump, confirmed that the former President was in good spirits despite the incident. Vance said in a statement, “I’m glad President Trump is safe. I spoke to him before the news was public, and he was, amazingly, in good spirits.” Meanwhile, Graham praised Trump as “one of the strongest people I’ve ever known,” underscoring his resilience and determination.

The latest attempt on Trump’s life has prompted questions about his security arrangements, highlighting ongoing threats against the former President as he continues to stay active in the political landscape of the United States.

US President reacted to assassination attempt on Donald Trump

Reacting to the assassination attempt, US President Joe Biden said, “I have been briefed by my team regarding what federal law enforcement is investigating as a possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today. A suspect is in custody, and I commend the work of the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners for their vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe.”

He added, “I am relieved that the former President is unharmed. There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened. As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety.”

First assassination attempt on Donald Trump

On 13th July, the first assassination attempt on Donald Trump took place at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. One attendee at the rally died, and two were reportedly injured in the gunfire. Trump managed to escape the assassination attempt with a bullet injury to his right ear. Trump was saved by mere milimetres as he turned his head just before the gunshot was fired, moving his face slightly away from a direct hit. The assailant of the first attempt was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was killed by Secret Service agents during the attack.

“We will have to develop a Nuclear Treaty with Pakistan, Ghauri missiles can be deployed on broder”: Dhaka University professor calls for nuclearisation of Bangladesh ‘to deter India’

OpIndia Staff
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“We will have to develop a Nuclear Treaty with Pakistan, Ghauri missiles can be deployed on broder”: Dhaka University professor calls for nuclearisation of Bangladesh ‘to deter India’

As Bangladesh is gravitating toward its arch-nemesis Pakistan, anti-India sentiments are on the rise after the fall of Sheikh Hasina government. New forces are emerging in Bangladesh calling for friendship with Pakistan and enmity with India. Amit this, a Professor at Dhaka University has now called for a Nuclear Treaty with Pakistan to deter India, a nation that played the pivotal role in the birth of Bangladesh.

Spewing hatred against India, Dhaka University Professor Shahiduzzaman said, ‘To change India’s habitual perception, the right answer would be for us to become a nuclear-capable, Nuclearisation of Bangladesh. Being nuclear nuclear-capable does not mean that we should become a nuclear power. By nuclear-capable, I mean that we should enter into a nuclear treaty with our former rival Pakistan.’

He said that without the technical assistance of Pakistan, India can’t be deterred. Professor Shahiduzzaman added, “Pakistan has always been Bangladesh’s most trusted security partner. But the Indians don’t want us to believe this. The Awami League wants us not to believe this. But this is the truth. Bangladesh should tilt towards Pakistan.” 

He further added, “The Pakistanis have a jealous heart. They don’t want us to apologize. But they also don’t want us to stay with India. They are ready to do anything to protect us from India.”

Professor Shahiduzzaman also talked about acquiring nuclear missiles from Pakistan and deploying them along the border with India. He said that placing Pakistan’s Ghauri short-range missiles along North Bengal and in Chittagong Hill Tracts will have a deterrent effect on India.

He alleged that India wants to capture parts of Bangladesh and make it a part of the northeastern states, and the help of Pakistan in terms of a nuclear treaty and acquiring Pakistani missiles is needed to prevent this.

He made these remarks while addressing military officials at a seminar organised by retired military officers. During his address, while he dubbed Pakistan as a “reliable and trustworthy security ally of Bangladesh”, he called India a “big threat”. 

The Dhaka Professor is notorious for making pro-Jamaat-e-Islami remarks.

‘Want good relations with India’: Bangladeshi Interim Government

Recently, Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor of the Interim government, Mohammad Yunus said that his country is keen to have good relations with India and other neighbouring countries adding that it should be on the basis of “fairness and equality”. 

In his televised address, Yunus said that after taking oath as the head of the administration, leaders of several countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, had called him to congratulate him. He had said, “We want good relations with India and other neighbouring countries, but these relations should be on the basis of fairness and equality.” 

Earlier in the day, OpIndia pointed out how 53 years after fighting against the massacre of Bengali-speakers by Urdu-imposing Pakistan army, Islamists in Bangladesh have been pulling it towards Pakistan. As part of this scheme, they recently commemorated Jinnah’s 76th death anniversary with Urdu songs, poetry and musical performances at the National press club in Dhaka, this happened for the first time in the history of Bangladesh. 

Pakistan would not have been created without Jinnah, and without Pakistan, ‘Bangladesh too would not exist,‘ Islamist Speakers said during the event. Speakers also hailed Jinnah and dubbed him the creator and father of Bangladesh. 

For those unversed, Bangladesh (once East Pakistan) fought a blood-drenched Liberation war against Urdu-imposing Jinnah’s forces with the Bangla pride acting as the central pillar of its Independence movement.

However, it is pertinent to note that ever since regressive and Islamist forces like Jamaat-e-Islami gained control of the country after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina govt, the nation of Bengali speakers has been gravitating back to the language it had detested for centuries – Urdu. It is also aggressively pushing to rekindle its “brotherhood” with Pakistan, thus besmirching the very existence of their country, massacre of their Bengali-speaking ancestors, and Independence movement.   

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