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Gaza: Hamas releases 14 more hostages including 4 Thailand nationals, IDF confirms

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Gaza: Hamas releases 14 more hostages including 4 Thailand nationals, IDF confirms

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has confirmed the release of over 14 hostages, including 10 Israelis and four Thai nationals, from Hamas captivity, as reported by The Times of Israel.

As a part of the Israel-Hamas extended truce deal, Hamas released these 14 hostages, who have been transferred by the Red Cross from the Gaza Strip to Egypt via the Rafah crossing.

Earlier, Hamas released two dual Russian-Israeli citizens, Yelena Trupanov and her mother, Irena Tati, as part of a gesture to Russian President Vladimir Putin, unrelated to the truce deal with Israel, according to The Times of Israel.

The mother and daughter were then brought to Sheba Medical Centre following their return to Israel.

Moreover, according to The Times of Israel, the 10 Israeli hostages released were identified as Raz Ben Ami, Yarden Roman, Liat Atzili, Moran Stela Yanai, Liam Or, Itay Regev, Ofir Engel, Amit Shani, Gali Tarshansky and Raaya Rotem.

Moreover, the hostages will be brought to a meeting point where Israeli forces will verify their identities before escorting them into Israel via a side gate at the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Meanwhile, the IDF said, “The families of the hostages are being updated by IDF representatives with the latest available information.”

Excluding today’s release of hostages, 50 were released between Friday and Monday, while 10 others were freed on Tuesday night.
According to the initial truce agreement, Israel agreed to halt its military operations in Gaza for four days and emphasised that it would release three Palestinian security prisoners for each of the 50 hostages freed from Gaza, The Times of Israel reported.

Notably, Israel President Isaac Herzog is set to attend the COP28 climate conference in Dubai later this week to hold sideline meetings with global leaders, in order to get the remaining hostages released from Gaza, his office said.

“The purpose of these meetings is to reveal to world leaders in a clear and profound manner the atrocities committed by the Hamas terror organization during the horrific massacre on October 7 and to emphasize the essential security threat that led to Israel’s forced entry into the war,” Herzog’s office said.

Furthermore, Herzog will also use the meetings to highlight the steps Israel is taking to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as it continues its war against Hamas once the truce concludes, The Times of Israel reported. 

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Telangana votes today: Key constituencies and candidates in focus

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Telangana votes today: Key constituencies and candidates in focus

The high-stakes Telangana Assembly elections are witnessing a triangular contest involving the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress.

Polling has commenced for all 119 constituencies from 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm today on 30th November.

In the hours preceding voters’ presence at polling booths, here’s a glimpse into key constituencies that will shape the political landscape.

The list of important constituencies includes Gajwel, Huzurabad, Korutla, Maheshwaram, Goshamahal, Mahbubnagar, LB Nagar, Warangal East and West, Bhupalapally, Khairatabad, Amberpet, Boath, Nirmal, Adilabad, Ramagundam, Peddapalli, Kothagudem, Armoor, Nizamabad Urban, Patancheru, Serilingampally, Husnabad, Dubbak, Kalwakurthy, and others.

Incumbent Chief Minister and the founder of BRS, K Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, is contesting from two seats: his original seat, Gajwel, and Kamareddy. In the 2018 elections, KCR secured a victory in Gajwel by over 58,000 votes. This time, he faces BJP leader Etela Rajender in Gajwel and Congress state unit chief Revanth Reddy in Kamareddy.

His son and Telangana minister KT Rama Rao is contesting from the Sircilla seat, which he won in 2018 by a significant margin of over 89,000 votes.

KTR is facing BJP’s Rani Rudrama Reddy and Congress leader Kondam Karuna Mahender Reddy from Sircilla.

Both, Etela Rajender and Revanth Reddy are also contesting from two seats, with Etela in Huzurabad and Revanth Reddy in Kodangal.

A spotlight is on Korutla, where the BJP has fielded Lok Sabha member Arvind Dharmapuri against BRS’s Kalvakuntla Sanjay and Congress’s Narsinga Rao Juvvadi. In Maheshwaram, BRS has pitted Patlolla Sabitha Indra Reddy against K Laxma Reddy (Congress) and Andela Sriramulu Yadav (BJP). Goshamahal features BJP’s T Raja Singh, whose suspension was revoked last month, contesting against significant opposition.

A staunch critic of the BJP’s T Raja and the younger brother of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Akbaruddin Owaisi, is contesting from the Chandrayangutta constituency.

In Mahbubnagar, V Srinivas Goud (BRS) faces competition from AP Mithun Kumar Reddy of BJP and Yennam Srinivas Reddy of Congress. In LB Nagar, BJP’s Sama Ranga Reddy competes against Madhu Yaskhi Goud of Congress and Devireddy Sudhir Reddy (BRS).

Bhupalapally seat holds significance, with Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy representing BRS, Gandra Satyanarayana Rao from Congress, and G Keerthi Reddy from BJP. In Ramagundam, BRS’s Korukanti Chander Patel competes against Congress’s Makkan Singh Raj Thakur and BJP’s Kandula Sandhya Rani.

Peddapalli seat features the Congress candidate Chinthakunta Vijaya Ramana Rao against Pradeep Kumar Dugyala of the BJP and Dasari Manohar Reddy of BRS. Madhira Assembly constituency is set to witness a face-off between Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and BRS’s Kamal Raju Lingala, with Bhatti winning by a small margin in previous elections.

Similarly, in Nizamabad Urban, BRS has fielded Goverdhan Bajireddy against Bhoopathi Reddy Rekulapally (Congress) and Dinesh Kumar Kulachari of the BJP.

While the BJP has an ambitious goal of seeing its first government in Telangana, the Congress is hoping to come to power on the basis of the “momentum” of the past few months. But the party has a huge, almost 18 per cent gap to cover in terms of voting percentage of previous assembly elections.

The BJP aspires to establish its first government in Telangana, while the Congress aims to leverage recent momentum, despite facing an almost 18 per cent gap in voting percentage compared to previous assembly elections.

If KCR secures another term, it would mark the first instance of a Chief Minister from a southern state serving three consecutive terms. (ANI)

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Chandigarh: Girl places camera in a Girls’ PG bathroom on the instructions of her male friend, both arrested

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Chandigarh: Girl places camera in a Girls’ PG bathroom on the instructions of her male friend, both arrested

On 29th November, Deputy Superintendent of Police Chandigarh, Ram Gopal, said in a statement that Sector 17 police has arrested a 22-year-old woman and her 30-year-old friend for placing a camera in the washroom of a Girls’ PG.

The DSP said, “There is a PG in Sector 22. A girl approached and complained that there was something like a camera above the geyser in her bathroom. The police immediately reached the spot and recovered a web camera. An FIR was registered, and one girl from the same PG was found guilty. Further investigation revealed she installed the camera on instructions of a man living in Sector 21. Both the accused have been arrested.”

The matter came to light on 26th November when a 39-year-old woman from Fazilka, living in the same paying guest house, noticed a camera light in the washroom without switching it on. She immediately informed a friend and the house owner about the camera. The house owner further called the police, and a team responded to the complaint. Upon investigation, they zeroed in on a 22-year-old young woman living in the PG. The camera was placed near the geyser in the washroom.

Upon further investigation, the police found that the camera had been bought from the Sector 45 market. The accused woman claimed that her friend, a 30-year-old man named Amit Handa from Sector 21, blackmailed her into placing the camera in the bathroom. The accused was preparing for IELTS, while Handa is reportedly unemployed.

As per reports, the camera was Wi-Fi enabled, and both accused had access to the live feed. However, the police said there was no recording facility in the camera. The device recovered during the investigation has been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory for examination. The police have not recovered any video, but the precise details about the content will be revealed only after receiving the forensic report.

An FIR under Sections 354-C (voyeurism) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code, along with Section 66E (violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act, have been registered at the Sector 17 police station.

Chandigarh University MMS controversy

A similar matter came to light in Chandigarh University (Mohali) last year. In September 2022, a female student allegedly filmed multiple female students bathing and shared the videos with a male accused. Three people, including the female student, were arrested in the matter. Protests had erupted in the University, leading to a lathi charge by the police.

Further investigation revealed that the student claimed she only filmed herself and shared those videos. The matter led to political turmoil, and the Punjab CM had to ask to maintain the region’s peace. A high-level probe was initiated into the matter.

US justice dept claims Indian ‘govt employee’ offered $100,000 to undercover ‘hitman’ to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Pannun

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US justice dept claims Indian ‘govt employee’ offered $100,000 to undercover ‘hitman’ to assassinate Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Pannun

The United States Justice Department has filed an indictment against an Indian national for his alleged involvement in a foiled plot to assassinate a US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in New York.

The US Justice Department has claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination, which was foiled by U.S. authorities, according to prosecutors.

Gupta is currently in custody and has been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Czech authorities had arrested and detained Gupta on June 30, pursuant to the bilateral extradition treaty between the United States and the Czech Republic.

In its indictment, the US Justice Department has claimed that, earlier this year, an Indian government employee working together with others, including Gupta, directed a plot to assassinate a political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City.

In a detailed indictment, the justice department has also shared a photograph where money is being exchanged between two unknown persons whose faces cannot be seen.

It is claimed that Gupta is an associate of CC-1, and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with CC-1. The indictment claims CC -1 directed the assassination plot from India.

On the matter, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen is quoted as saying “The dedicated law enforcement agents and prosecutors in this case foiled and exposed a dangerous plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil. The Department of Justice will be relentless in using the full reach of our authorities to pursue accountability for lethal plotting emanating from overseas.”

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “When a foreign government employee allegedly committed the brazen act of recruiting an international narcotics trafficker to murder a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil, DEA was there to stop the plot.”

The Justice Department claimed that in or about May 2023, CC-1 recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the activist in the United States.

At CC-1’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom he believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source working with the DEA. The source it is alleged introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was a DEA undercover officer. The purported hitman was offered USD 100,000 to murder the Khalistani terrorist, the Justice Department claims.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The indictment follows the recent sharing of information by the US on a nexus between organised criminals, gun runners and terrorists. India has since formed a high-level inquiry committee to address the security concerns highlighted by the US government, the External Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday.

The MEA said that India takes such inputs seriously since they impinge on our national security interests as well, and relevant departments were already examining the issue.

The MEA further added that in this context, on November 18, the Government of India constituted a high-level inquiry committee to investigate all the relevant aspects of the matter.

The document also mentions the murder of another Khalistani terrorist named Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. The justice department mentions Nijjar as ‘another Sikh separatist leader’ and claims that on June 20, the Indian government employee sent a news article about Pannun to Nikhil Gupta and added “It is a priority now”.

(With inputs from ANI)

Kerala: CPIM youth wing leader Abdul Shemim accused of serving food cooked in toilet water to Sabarimala pilgrims, caught by Ayyappa Seva Sangh

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Kerala: CPIM youth wing leader Abdul Shemim accused of serving food cooked in toilet water to Sabarimala pilgrims, caught by Ayyappa Seva Sangh

A food stall managed by a man named Abdul Shemim at Erumeli has been accused of serving food cooked in toilet water to Sabarimala pilgrims during the peak season of pilgrimage. Notably, Erumeli lies along the routes leading to the revered Sabarimala temple in Kerala. 

During inspection, it was found that the shop was using a hose from the adjacent toilet for water supply to make tea and lime juice. According to Republic TV, visuals of the incident showed that a blue-coloured hose was found connecting both the adjacent bathroom and the shop selling the liquids. The pipe was coming out from the grill of the toilet and it extended up to the shop.

(Image Source – Republic)

Initially, the shop owner claimed that the toilet water was used only for dishwashing and not for cooking purposes. However, recorded evidence showed otherwise. Subsequently, the Revenue Vigilance Squad and the Health Department registered a case against the accused Abdul Shehim.

The unsanitary practice was caught by Ayyappa Seva Sangh when it was conducting an inspection. The suspicion initially aroused about the eatery’s unhygienic practices when a foul smell started permeating the vicinity. Through inspection, the Ayyappa Seva Sangh revealed that the food stall was being managed by Abdul Shehim who also serves as the area secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of CPIM. It was also revealed that the accused had been using toilet water for cooking for Lord Ayyappa devotees for approximately two weeks. 

Subsequently, a combined inspection was conducted by the Revenue and Health department and a stop memo was issued to the shop. According to Erumeli Revenue Special Squad Charge Officer Deputy Tehsildar Biju G Nair, the investigation is ongoing, and further inspections have been planned in the coming days. He emphasised that accountability goes beyond the food stall owner and claimed that action will also be taken against the contractor who was responsible for allowing the hose connection from the toilet tap.

As per a Manorama Online report, an alert team from the revenue department apprehended a food stall vendor in the act of connecting a hose from the toilet pipe to obtain water for preparing food for Sabarimala pilgrims. The health department swiftly intervened, shutting down the temporary shop, and initiating legal actions against the license holder.

The shop was reportedly granted a temporary license to sell non-edible items, however, it was flouting that rule as well. 

Republic TV reported that after repeated calls to the police, the officials maintained that no case had been filed. The report added that it didn’t lodge a case despite the fact that the police team was physically present at the site. The BJP local unit alleged that CPIM and Congress were trying to protect the shop owner and not filing a case.

It is important to note that the incident occurred during the peak season for the Sabarimala temple. The 41-day pilgrimage which is known as the mandala (season), scheduled for December and January is all set to begin.

‘Your Air Force officer friend might be fake’: Rajiv Pratap Rudy responds to Subramanian Swamy’s bizarre claim that photos of PM Modi flying in Tejas are fake

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‘Your Air Force officer friend might be fake’: Rajiv Pratap Rudy responds to Subramanian Swamy’s bizarre claim that photos of PM Modi flying in Tejas are fake

Days after disgruntled BJP leader Subramanian Swamy made a bizarre claim that visuals of PM Narendra Modi taking a sortie in Indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas were fake because the ‘glass cover’ was not closed, BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy responded to him today. As Swamy had claimed he was told by an Air Force officer that the photos were fake, the former civil aviation minister said that the Air Force officer might be fake instead.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a sortie in the Indigenous fighter aircraft Tejas in Bengaluru on 25th November. Several videos and photographs of the same were published in the media. However, two days later on 27 November, former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, who is unhappy with the Modi govt for not getting a place in the cabinet, posted on X that an air force officer told him that the photos were fake because they show PM Modi flying in an air force Jet without the glass cover 25,000 feet above and waving out.

Swamy claimed that the pictures are fake because at that height Modi would have been sucked out by the atmosphere and fallen to the ground.

The politician was immediately fact-checked by social media users who pointed out that the visuals clearly show the glass canopy on the fighter jet. In close-up images taken from inside the jet, reflections behind and above PM Modi can be seen, indicating that it is the glass canopy. Similarly in photos taken from another jet flying alongside, the canopy is clearly visible.

Today Rajiv Pratap Rudy responded to Swamy’s bizarre claims, saying that it’s possible the Air Force officer who briefed Swamy is clueless about aviation, as he himself might be fake and lacking knowledge about flying or fighter jets. “Only the blind would not see that Mr. Modi was in the Tejas aircraft with the canopy closed, accompanied by his instructor,” said Rudy, who is a pilot himself.

He said in his tweet, “As a pilot who has had the privilege of flying these fighter aircraft with instructors, I can confirm that Mr. Modi was fully geared up in his G-suit, and the pressurised canopy was closed. It’s entirely possible for parallel aircraft flying nearby to take photographs from outside, and there are also cameras fitted inside the cockpit. Not only fighter pilots but any pilot with reasonable experience can attest to this.”

Rudy added, “I am shocked and surprised that someone like you would make such comments without verifying the authenticity or credibility of the Air Force officer who briefed you. Worse yet, your credibility is now reliant on unverified comments.”

The BJP leader also demanded that Swamy disclose the identity of the ‘air force officer’ who told Swamy that the pictures are fake. “You should also disclose the identity of this Air Force officer, who is tarnishing the image of our prestigious Air Force in general and the Honorable PM in particular. I believe, prior to the Prime Minister’s office responding, you should consider deleting the tweet and issuing an apology to the nation,” he added.

PM Modi taking a sortie in a twin-seater Tejas aircraft is considered very significant, because it displays the PM’s and the government’s confidence in the indigenous aircraft. Wile VVIPs flying in twin-seater fighters are not uncommon, previously all such flights were in twin-engine jets. For VVIPs, a twin-engine aircraft is considered a requirement for safety purposes. President Droupadi Murmu recently flew in a twin-engine Sukhoi-30MKI. However, Tejas is a single engine aircraft, therefore it shows the govt’s confidence on the jet.

The jet the PM flew in was a brand new one handed over to the Indian Air Force only a month ago, which is a dual-seat Tejas trainer which is also a multirole fighter and fully combat capable.

Union govt and Manipur govt sign peace agreement with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest valley-based armed group in the state

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Union govt and Manipur govt sign peace agreement with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest valley-based armed group in the state

In a historic development, the Government of India and the Government of Manipur signed a Peace Agreement with the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the oldest valley-based Meitei armed group of Manipur in New Delhi today, 29 November. The UNLF was formed in 1964 and has been operating both within and outside Indian Territory.

The agreement was signed in New Delhi by senior officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Government of Manipur and representatives of the United National Liberation Front. The agreement is poised to give a fillip to usher in a new era of peace in the North East in general and Manipur in particular.

UNLF is currently banned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and the ban was extended for five years earlier this month. The United National Liberation Front (UNLF) had been fighting a guerilla war for a sovereign Manipur, as it considers the merger of Manipur with India after independence illegal.

It is notable that after the end of British rule in 1947, Manipur gained independence separately and the state became a sovereign nation ruled by Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh with its own constitution. However, this only lasted 2 years and in 1949 Maharaja Bodhchandra Singh signed a Merger Agreement with the Union of India on 21 September 1949. According to the agreement, Manipur merged with India as a Part C State, becoming a centrally ruled territory, and the assembly was resolved. Manipur became a full state in 1972. Several groups in Manipur demand the merger agreement be reviewed and revoked.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah said that a historic milestone was achieved with this agreement. In his posts on ‘X’, the Home Minister said that it is a landmark achievement in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of all-inclusive development and providing a better future to the youths in Northeast India. Home Minister Shah further said that he welcomed UNLF to the democratic processes and wish them all the best in their journey on the path of peace and progress.

A statement issued by the home ministry said, “As per the vision of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and under the guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, the Government of India has signed agreements with several armed groups of the North East region since 2014 to end militancy and promote development.”

The statement added that while political settlements have been finalised with several ethnic armed groups of the North East as part of conflict resolution initiatives of Government of India, it is for the first time a valley-based Manipuri armed group has agreed to return to mainstream by abjuring violence and agreeing to honour the Constitution of India and laws of the land.

MHA said that the agreement will not only bring an end to hostilities between UNLF and security forces which have claimed precious lives on both sides over the last more than half a century but also provide an opportunity to address the longstanding concerns of the community. It is hoped that the return of UNLF to the mainstream will also encourage other valley-based armed groups to participate in the peace process in due course.

The statement further stated that a Peace Monitoring Committee (PMC) will be constituted to oversee enforcement of the agreed ground rules. The development is likely to be a significant step in restoring peace and normalcy in the State.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for making efforts to bring peace in the state. “Efforts for peace talks were being made for years but without any success. This signing happened today under the leadership of PM Modi. I congratulate the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who worked hard to bring peace,” the Chief Minister said.

Singh appreciated the members of UNLF and hoped that militants in the state would choose the path of peace.

“The cadres of UNLF agreed to follow the path of peace, I appreciate the members for this. I hope that the militants in the state and those who take up arms also choose path of peace,” the Chief Minister said.

Biren Singh said that the peace agreement was a result of the confidence Bharatiya Janata Party built in the northeast. “This is a result of the confidence BJP built in the northeast and the care it showed there. The change that happened in the northeast, especially Manipur, after PM Modi came to power…seeing that confidence all of this is happening…”

“As the UNLF negotiated a settlement and renounced violence, I expressed my appreciation for their decision to engage in “peace talks”. I welcome the UNLF group to the democratic processes and extend my best wishes for their journey on the path of peace and progress,” the CM said in a Tweet.

Suffering from headaches for 5 months, a Vietnamese man learns that he had two chopsticks stuck in his brain

OpIndia Staff
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Suffering from headaches for 5 months, a Vietnamese man learns that he had two chopsticks stuck in his brain

In a shocking development, a 35-year-old Vietnamese man didn’t have an idea that a pair of chopsticks had been shoved up his nose and lodged into his brain for five months. Incidentally, he only came to learn about it when he visited a hospital complaining of severe headaches, fluid discharge, and fluid loss for five months. 

(The Vietnamese man had a pair of broken chopsticks stuck in his skull, Image Source – Vietnam Cuba Friendship Hospital)

According to Vietnamese media, the shocking condition was detected on 24th November at Vietnam Cuba Friendship Hospital Dong Hoi (Quang Binh) in Vietnam. The report added, “What is worth mentioning is that the foreign object had been lodged deep in this patient’s skull for the past five months.” The Head of the Department of Neurosurgery, Dr. Nguyen Van Man said that it was a ‘very rare’ case, The Metro reported. 

As per reports, when the doctors conducted CT scans it was revealed that the man was suffering from tension pneumocephalus. It is a rare but potentially life-threatening neurological condition that is defined by a dangerous increase in intracranial pressure. 

However, hospital staff and the patient’s family were stunned when the subsequent examination revealed that the unusual source of the symptoms was a pair of chopsticks. The ‘foreign object’ had reportedly penetrated his nose and lodged into his brain.

(The broken chopsticks retrieved, Picture: Vietnam Cuba Hospital)

Initially, the man was flabbergasted over how he could have ended up eating utensils on his mind, but after a while, he recalled that he’d been involved in a fight five months ago in a drunken state. 

The unnamed patient (born 1988) is a resident of Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province. According to his family, about 5 months ago, when he was drinking, he had a fight with another person and he suffered injuries. It can be concluded that his opponent shoved the chopsticks through his nose when he was unconscious.

However, when he was taken to the emergency room, no abnormalities were detected in the nose area. He only received medical treatment at that time. 

(Image Source – The broken pair of chopsticks lodged in the patient’s skull. Photo: BVCC/Vietnam.VN)

Regarding the incident, Mr. T. said that he did not know there was a chopstick sticking from his nose into his brain. He only recalled that during a fight at the drinking table, he was stabbed in the face by something and was taken to first aid, Vietnamese media reported. 

Following the incident, he only felt headaches, tightness, and pus flowing from his nose and throat many times.

Reportedly, prior to the emergency treatment at the Hospital, the patient felt an itch in his nose. When he used tweezers to remove the foreign object, he was perplexed to suddenly discover a large foreign object inside. 

Consequently, Mr. T. was taken to the emergency room by his family at the Hospital with a complaint of headache, loss of vision, and a lot of fluid flowing from his nose and throat. 

After conducting the CT scan of the brain, doctors noted intracranial pneumothorax. The Hospital administration said that doctors had surgically closed a cranial brain fistula combined with endoscopic surgery to remove a foreign object that was part of a pierced chopstick from the nose to the brain of an unnamed man. 

According to reports, after the successful surgery, the patient’s health condition is currently stable and he continues to receive recovery treatment after which he will be discharged from the hospital.

ISRO scientist VR Lalithambika conferred the highest French civilian award for her engagement in space cooperation between France and India

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ISRO scientist VR Lalithambika conferred the highest French civilian award for her engagement in space cooperation between France and India

On 28 November, Dr V R Lalithambika, the former director of the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Directorate of the Human Spaceflight Programme received the coveted Légion d’honneur, the highest civilian award in France. She received this distinction as a recognition for her important contributions to the development of France-India space cooperation. On behalf of the French government Thierry Mathou, the ambassador of France to India presented her with the prestigious honour.

An official press release from the embassy read, “A specialist in advanced launch vehicle technology, Dr Lalithambika has worked extensively on various ISRO rockets, particularly the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). In 2018, as Director of the Human Spaceflight Programme, she coordinated closely with the French National Space Agency (Centre national d’études spatiales – CNES) for India’s Gaganyaan project. Dr Lalithambika was instrumental in the signing of the first joint agreement for cooperation between CNES and ISRO on human spaceflight, under which the two countries could exchange specialists to work on space medicine.”

It further added that a second agreement between France and India about the Indian astronaut program was signed in 2021 while the former French Foreign Affairs Minister was visiting ISRO in Bengaluru owing to her coordination with CNES. “Under this agreement, the French space agency would train India’s flight physicians and CAPCOM mission control teams in France at the CADMOS centre for the development of microgravity applications and space operations at CNES in Toulouse and at the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany.”

Thierry Mathou stated, “I am delighted to confer the Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur on Dr V.R. Lalithambika, a distinguished scientist and a trailblazer in space technology. Her expertise, accomplishments, and tireless efforts have scripted a new ambitious chapter in the long history of the Indo-French space partnership,” on the occasion.

“I sincerely hope that this honour being bestowed on me will spur more and more women to take up STEM (Science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers and to excel in their chosen fields,” responded Dr Lalithambika after receiving the award.

The notification lauded the scientist as a trailblazer and remarked, “Dr Lalithambika is an inspiration to the next generation of scientists not only in Toulouse but also in India, where she promoted inclusivity by enabling the recruitment of civilians, including women, to participate in the future of the Indian astronaut programme.”

The French Republic’s highest civilian honour, the Legion of Honour was instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is given to recipients in appreciation of their outstanding service to France regardless of their nationality. “The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour.”

The former recipients of this prestigious award include big names from various fields like JRD Tata, Satyajit Ray, Bharat Ratna C N R Rao, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Zubin Mehta, E Sreedharan, Amitabh Bachchan, Sivaji Ganeshan, Lata Mangeshkar, Shah Rukh Khan, Shashi Tharoor, danseuse Alarmel Valli, Azim Premji and space scientist A S Kiran Kumar.

Who is Dr VR Lalithambika

Dr VR Lalithambika was born in 1962 in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram. Her early fascination with ISRO stemmed from her home’s close proximity to the Thumba rocket testing centre. Her grandfather who used to assemble devices like lenses, microscopes and other equipment at the house introduced her to science at a young age and also kept her informed about ISRO’s activities. Her grandfather was an astronomer, a gadget inventor and a mathematician. Her dad worked as an engineer as well.

She completed her B. Tech. in Electrical Engineering at the College of Engineering, Trivandrum and subsequently returned to complete her M. Tech. in Control Engineering there. She worked at two colleges before joining ISRO. She worked at the space agency while pursuing her doctorate.

She is a specialist in Advanced Launch Vehicle Technology. She joined the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram. in 1988. She led a team that designed rocket control and guidance systems. She has worked with various ISRO rockets including the Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV). She has participated in more than 100 space missions.

She held the position of Deputy Director (control, guidance, and simulation) at VSSC, Thiruvananthapuram before relocating to the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru. She is the Director of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme which aims to launch Indian astronauts into space by 2022. She is going to oversee the Gaganyaan mission.

She was awarded the Space Gold Medal in 2001, ISRO Individual Merit Award and ISRO Performance Excellence Award in 2013. She has also won the Astronautical Society of India award for excellence in launch vehicle technology.

Remember Anju Thomas? The Indian woman who went to Pakistan to meet her boyfriend? She is back

OpIndia Staff
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Remember Anju Thomas? The Indian woman who went to Pakistan to meet her boyfriend? She is back

34-year-old Indian woman Anju Thomas, who had travelled to a remote village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan to marry her Facebook friend returned to India on Wednesday (29th November). The woman returned only after being issued clearance from the Pakistan government.

Anju, who changed her name to Fatima after she converted to Islam and married Nasrullah in Pakistan, had her visa to Pakistan extended by a year in August this year. “We are waiting for the NOC (No-Objection Certificate) from the interior ministry in Islamabad for which we have already applied. The NOC process is a bit lengthy and it takes time to complete,” Anju’s Pakistani husband was quoted as saying.

The video of Anju returning to India was shared by ANI in which she could be seen running in a hurry. However, she said that she was happy and had nothing else to say. “I am happy. I have no other comments to make,” she said.

However, Nasrullah, Anju’s Pakistani husband had earlier said that Anju would return to Pakistan after meeting her children in India. “She will certainly come back as Pakistan is her home now,” he said.

It was earlier reported that 35-year-old Anju from Bhiwadi, Rajasthan, had left her home in July on the pretext of visiting Jaipur. However, her husband Arvind learned the shocking reality that his wife had gone to Pakistan only when their son got sick, and he called Anju to ask when she would be back. Anju informed him that she was in Pakistan and would be back soon. 

Anju and 29-year-old Nasrullah, from Upper Dir, Pakistan met on Facebook four years ago and started liking each other soon. During questioning by Pakistani authorities, Anju claimed that she could not live without Nasrullah. The duo eventually got married and the woman converted her religion to Islam. Anju is now known by the name of Fatima in Pakistan.

Anju’s husband in India, Arvind had earlier stated that Anju’s Visa should be investigated and that her documents should be thoroughly checked. He also appealed to the Indian government to take strict action against the woman as he decided to part ways with her.

Also, Anju’s father Gaya Prasad Thomas was quoted as saying that his daughter had ruined the life of her two children. He also said that she should have divorced her husband before doing something like this. 

Anju and Arvind have a 15-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son. Her Pakistani husband claimed that Anju was missing her kids and that she wanted to see them. She would return to Pakistan immediately as it is her home now, he said.

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