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No deal yet, want all hostages back: Benjamin Netanyahu refutes Washington Post report about 5-day ceasefire with Hamas

OpIndia Staff
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No deal yet, want all hostages back: Benjamin Netanyahu refutes Washington Post report about 5-day ceasefire with Hamas

Hours after The Washington Post claimed that Hamas and Israel has agreed to a 5-day ceasefire, the Prime Minister of the Jewish State Benjamin Netanyahu rejected incorrect reports about any deal with the Islamic terror outfit on Saturday (18th November).

As per reports, Netanyahu in a press evening clarified that there was no deal in place yet for the release of 240 Israeli civilians held hostage by Hamas. He added that in case of any such deal, the Jewish State would update the public.

“There was no deal on the table…We want to get back all the hostages.We’re doing the utmost to bring back the most possible, including in stages, and we are united on this. We obviously want to bring (home) whole families together,” the Israeli Prime Minister was heard saying.

During the press conference, Minister Benny Gantz informed, “(We have) decades if needed to destroy this thing (Hamas). We don’t have decades to bring the people home…So, yes, from my point of view, it is a priority to get the hostages back.”

“But that priority doesn’t override our obligation (to destroy Hamas) however long it takes. I want to bring back the elderly, and the children. Nobody here wants anything else. Nobody in Israel wants anything else,” he emphasised.

Adrienne Watson, the White House National Security Council Spokesperson, also rejected The Washington Post report in a post on X (formerly Twitter). She said,”We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal.”

Earlier on Saturday (18th November), the American newspaper claimed that Israel and Hamas has reached a ‘tentative deal’ for ceasefire in exchange for dozens of women and chiledren held by the Islamic terror outfit in Gaza.

“The release, which could begin within the next several days — barring last-minute hitches — could lead to the first sustained pause in conflict in Gaza, according to people familiar with its provisions,” it claimed.

“The outline of a deal was put together during weeks of talks in Doha, Qatar among Israel, the United States and Hamas, indirectly represented by Qatari mediators, according to Arab and other diplomats,” The Washington Post claimed that the US helped ‘broker’ the ceasefire.

It further alleged, “But it remained unclear until now that Israel would agree to temporarily pause its offensive in Gaza, provided the conditions were right.” Several other publications including Reuters cited the American newspaper to claim that a ‘ceasefire’ was on the cards.

Kanpur: Female teacher attempts to convert a Class 10 boy after trapping him in a love affair, FIR filed after court order

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Kanpur: Female teacher attempts to convert a Class 10 boy after trapping him in a love affair, FIR filed after court order

An FIR has been filed against a female teacher, her husband, her brother, and the school manager in Kanpur for attempting religious conversion of a Class 10 student after trapping him in a love affair. The Cantonment police initiated the investigation on Thursday (16th November), following court orders.

The incident dates back to 17th October 2023, when the teacher from a missionary school in Kanpur was suspended for allegedly coercing the student into physical relations and attempting to change his religious beliefs. The victim’s father accused the teacher of attempting to convert his son from Hinduism to Christianity.

This case first made it to the news in October 2023

On October 17, 2023, the teacher Olive Rohit from St. Aloysius’ High School in Kanpur faced suspension following grave accusations. The allegations included pressuring a Class 10 student into engaging in physical relations and attempting religious conversion. The incident raised concerns about the safety and well-being of Hindu students within the educational institution.

The situation escalated to this suspension decision by the school because of protests on 16th October. Activists from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a protest, demanding swift legal action against the accused teacher. Responding to the mounting pressure, the school administration decided to suspend the teacher pending further investigation.

On 11th October 2023, the father of the victim boy had taken a crucial step in seeking justice for his son. He filed a formal complaint with the police, alleging that the accused teacher had engaged in explicit late-night conversations with the minor student.

What was said in the complaint

The victim’s father said that the teacher pressured his son into a false love affair, attempting religious conversion. Despite complaints to law enforcement authorities earlier, no action was taken until the court’s intervention on 7th November. The accused teacher, her husband, and her brother, who also teach in the same school, are also implicated in the case.

The family said that the school administration, led by Principal Walter D’Silva, played a role in converting students under the guise of a love affair. The victim’s father also said that Hindus were derogatorily referred to as beggars, and there were restrictions within the school, such as a ban on applying tilak and tying kalava.

The father of the victim minor said in his plea, “When a complaint was made regarding this matter in the school, the teacher admitted to her actions. Subsequently, she started attempting to find the child’s address to harass him, presumably to prevent the case from reaching the court. The teacher’s brother also issued threats, indicating an intent to cause harm to life and property.”

The inaction by the police prompted the victim to go to court

As the gravity of the allegations became apparent, the court intervened on 7th November 2023. The court issued orders directing the police to register an FIR against not only the accused teacher, but also her husband, brother, and the school manager.

In compliance with the court’s directives, on 16th November 2023, an FIR was officially registered against the accused parties. The charges included sections 9, 10, and 23 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.

In the FIR, allegations have been levelled against the accused teacher, Olive Rohit, stating that she facilitated religious conversions of other students in the school. Additionally, she is accused of circulating the image of the minor to others, including some media portals. The aggrieved father has also filed a police complaint against ‘JMD News’ and ‘SP News 365,’ stating that they have circulated the child’s image.

Delayed legal action

It is noteworthy that despite the victim’s father filing a complaint on October 11, an FIR was not registered until November 16, raising concerns about the delay in legal proceedings. The Kanpur Police are currently investigating the matter, and no arrests have been made as of now. Further action will be determined based on the findings of the investigation.

Chats between the accused teacher and victim student surfaced

The chats between the two have also gone viral. In a Facebook Messenger chat, the boy is asking why she will come at 7:10, to which the teacher responds that they were asked to come at that time. The boy then asks her to come whenever she wants. In subsequent chats, a background heart emoji is visible. In one of the chats, the teacher is writing ‘Miss you, want you,’ while the boy is responding with ‘I love you.’ There is a conversation about hugging in one chat. In another chat, the boy is angry because the female teacher liked another boy’s picture on social media.

Then the teacher clarifies that the boy whose post she liked is like her brother. On the other side, the boy threatens that he will like and comment on every girl’s post. In one chat, the lady teacher expresses that her heart is broken, talking about going away forever and repeatedly mentioning that her heart is crying. On the other hand, the boy wrote, “You made me zero; I was very good.” The mentioned school is located in Cantonment, Kanpur. The court also found in its analysis that the evidence provided by the victim’s family and the messages found on the teacher’s phone supported the claims in the complaint.

OpIndia contacted the victim student’s father

While discussing this matter with OpIndia, the child’s father revealed that until he achieves justice for his son, he will not tie the sacred lock of hair (Shikha). He explained that he has a son and a daughter, with the son being younger. He also accused the police of taking bribes from the implicated teacher.

The victim’s father told OpIndia that the court’s order was dated 7th November, it came on November 9, while the police delayed filing the FIR by a week. He accused the Station House Officer (SHO) of preparing a biased investigation report against him and levelling counter-allegations that the father of the child intended to have an illicit relationship with the woman. The father stated that the officer in charge, Ajay Singh, subsequently accepted a complaint from the teacher’s side. He also accused the police of misconduct against him and his wife at the police station.

The aggrieved father has also sent a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, providing details about the case. Speaking to OpIndia, he revealed that to close the matter, the Station House Officer (SHO) exerted pressure on him and threatened to frame him in several false cases. The accused teacher is reported to be 43 years old. The name of another teacher, Lokesh, has also emerged, and the victim’s father said that the accused female teacher has been living with Lokesh for the past few months after leaving her husband.

Lokesh also allegedly threatened the child’s father over the phone. The father accused him of revealing the identity of the child and his family and circulating it in the school’s WhatsApp group. He mentioned that despite providing links, the police officer in charge stated that no evidence was found. He claimed that such police officers are tarnishing the reputation of CM Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming to disturb the public’s trust in them. He accused the police of accepting a hefty bribe from the accused teacher.

The father said, “The missionaries are not lacking in funds. After my son got entangled in their trap, there was a change in his behaviour. When my wife performed evening prayers, my son expressed his disapproval. If she went to the temple, he started reacting negatively. We are not sending our child to school; his academic year is being ruined. Despite our pleas, the police and administration are not taking any action. The child will not be able to study there. Our request to transfer him to another school was not accepted.”

A video from the police station has also emerged, in which the police are telling the parents of the victim student not to get involved with them. Additionally, the police also accused the parents of lying about the incident.

The officer named Rohit says in a sting video, “Recording statements without the parents is not unjust. The law is one thing, and morality is another. We have to follow the orders given by the authorities, and if something goes wrong in that process, it’s not a sin. I have all the evidence of who said what. Something wrong has happened with the child, and there is a limit to it. I apologise. When everything was done, I did not seize the phone.” OpIndia has video footage, a copy of the FIR, and other documents related to the case.

Uttar Pradesh govt bans production, storage, sale of ‘Halal certified’ food items with immediate effect, says it violates Food Safety and Standards Act

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh govt bans production, storage, sale of ‘Halal certified’ food items with immediate effect, says it violates Food Safety and Standards Act

On 18th November, hours after it was reported that the CM Yogi Adityanath-led state government is contemplating a ban on Halal certification in the state, the state administration issued orders to this effect. The state’s Food Safety and Drug Administration Commissioner issued an order dated 18th November, notification number – FSDA Food/2023/6145 to put an immediate ban on the production, storage, distribution, and sale of ‘Halal certified’ food items citing public health. The “Halal-certified items’ banned include edible items, medicines, and cosmetic items. 

The UP govt notification says that the Halal certification is a parallel system as the country has the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to determine the quality of foods and that it violates the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, under which FSSAI was formed.

The notification said that Halal certification is being mentioned on the labels of certain food products like dairy products, sugar, bakery products, peppermint oil, salty ready to eat savories, edible oils etc. It said that Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 was promulgated in 2006 by repealing 8 old laws, and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the apex body for food items, was formed under it to implement the provisions of the act.

As per Section 29 of the Act, FSSAI has been given the power to decide the quality of food items, and it is the only body authorised to check the concerned standards of the food items as per the provisions given in the Act. The order noted, “Thus, Halal certification of food products is a parallel system that creates confusion regarding the quality of food items and is completely against the basic intention of the said Act, and is not tenable under Section 89 of the said Act.” 

Section 29 states that FSSAI is responsible for the enforcement of the act, and Section 89 states that the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 overrides any contradictory provision in any other act.

“In the interest of public health, production, storing, distribution and sale of halal certified edible items are banned in Uttar Pradesh with immediate effect,” the Food Commissioner’s order stated. 

It added, “The above situation is covered by the definition of counterfeiting in Section 3(1) (zf(A(i)) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, which comes under the category of an offence punishable with a fine under Section 52 of the said Act.”

Section 3(1) (zf(A(i)) says, “misbranded food” means an article of food offered or promoted for sale with false, misleading or deceptive claims either through the label of packaging or through advertisement. The notification added that violation of this provision is punishable as per Section 52 of the same act.

The order also warns entities of strict actions in case they violate the act and the prohibitory orders. The notification added that the order complies with Section 30(2)(d) of the Food Safety and Standards Act and exercises the right vested in Section 30(2)(a) of the said Act. Through those powers, it has promulgated this order that manufacturing of food products with Halal certification within the limits of Uttar Pradesh state is prohibited in view of public health. 

However, the order has excluded exporters from these orders and there would be no ban on ‘Halal certified’ items for exports. 

The order comes after the Uttar Pradesh police, earlier today, registered an FIR against several companies selling “Halal certified” products using forged documents. The FIR was lodged at Lucknow’s Hazratganj Kotwali against companies named Halala India Private Limited Chennai, Jamiat Ulema Hind Halal Trust Delhi, Halal Council of India Mumbai and Jamiat Ulema in Mumbai. 

These companies were selling products such as bathing soaps, spices, snacks, dairy, and garments with fake Halal certifications. Lucknow Police has registered against the accused under sections 120b/153a/298, 384, 420, 467, 468, 471, and 505 of IPC. The police are investigating the matter.

It is important to note that ‘Halal certification’ has been banned as the order noted that it was creating confusion and was running as a parallel system with FSSAI which is the official regulator in India. However, there is no ban issued on ‘Halal food’ which is different from Halal certification. This order will impact the packaged goods sector. However, butchers selling meat, the most prominent Halal food item, are unlikely to be impacted. Because even though the butchers use the Halal method of slaughtering, it is not explicitly certified with any labelling. But shops displaying ‘Halal certified’ boards may have to remove such displays.

Additionally, the order excludes exports of products under Halal certification, including meat. Pertinently, the DGFT under the Commerce Ministry notifies guidelines for halal certification of meat and meat products specifically for export purposes. This is required as most Muslim countries that import meat from India only accept Halal-certified products.

For those unversed, the term Halal is used for products, services, or systems that are considered lawful (Tayeib) or permissible under the Islamic Shariah law that do not consist of or contain any part that is considered unlawful (haram) according to Islamic law, and/or the actions permitted by Shariah law without punishment imposed on the doer.

The Halal certification complies with Islamic laws and is used to ensure that products, items, and services comply with Islamic practices. Apart from prescribing accepted methods of slaughtering livestock, this also applies to several non-products. Because, as per Islamic laws, no product should contain any ingredient which has been banned as haram. This includes ingredients derived from pig and alcohol.

In the year 2006, the Consolidated Food Law Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 was promulgated after repealing 8 food laws. Since then, the right to specify the quality of food items lies only with the authorities/institutions given in Section 29 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The order stressed that the said act and the regulations promulgated thereunder have a preferential effect on all other food laws under Section 89.

PM Modi takes jibe at ‘half-hearted’ photo-op by Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, compares their reunion and ‘100 handshakes’ with quitting vow of chain smokers

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi takes jibe at ‘half-hearted’ photo-op by Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, compares their reunion and ‘100 handshakes’ with quitting vow of chain smokers

On 18th November (Saturday), Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a barb at the supposed unity of Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot comparing it with a chain smoker’s vow to quit smoking 100th time. In a sarcastic jibe, he argued that both the Congress leaders shook hands for the 100th time in the presence of Delhi leadership as a smoker often vows to quit addiction. 

PM Modi highlighted that there has been no unity between the two leaders. With bitterness in their hearts, they are just displaying fake unity, PM Modi said without explicitly naming them. He, however, referred to Sachin Pilot as ‘bechara‘ and the ‘chief minister-in-waiting’.   

Addressing a public rally in Rajasthan’s Nagaur, PM Modi further launched a scathing attack on Congress and highlighted the infighting within the grand old party in the poll-bound state of Rajasthan. He asserted that Congress, in Rajasthan, has only betrayed the public and failed to deliver on all aspects in these 5 years. He added that Congress failed in the aspect of governance and gave the state a corrupt and scam-filled government.

PM Modi further emphasised that in a recent public meeting, the ‘Jadugar’ CM himself accepted the truth that his candidates, MLAs did not do any work as he was preoccupied with saving his chair. 

He stated that if Congress is in such a situation and is lost in itself, what will it do for the public? Delhi Darbar was very busy snatching away the chair of its own CM while the CM was busy in dealing with them. These people had left the people of Rajasthan on their own. Now when the election time has come, they are getting clicked together — but halfheartedly.

He stressed that whenever the Congress high command arrives in Rajasthan, they make the two party leaders shake hands after “setting up the camerapersons”.

The Prime Minister said, “There have been 100 occasions in which they (Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot) shook their hands in front of the cameras when big leaders came from Delhi, but there has been no unity. With bitterness in their hearts, they are just displaying fake unity.”

His remark comes against the backdrop that both warring leaders in the state Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot were seen together with Rahul Gandhi during the latter’s campaigning.

The constant tussle between Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot rocked the Congress government in the state for the last three years after the then Congress state President Pilot rebelled against Gehlot and Gehlot called Pilot ‘nikamma’, ‘traitor‘ and whatnot.

Meanwhile, PM Modi in his Nagaur rally also stressed that because of their infighting, the state had virtually more than 100 Chief Ministers.  

PM Modi added, “Today people say that in the last five years, there were a hundred chief ministers in Rajasthan. Every mafia, every bully, every rioter has considered himself no less than CM of the Congress government in the last five years. That is why atrocities against women, Dalits, and the underprivileged are at their peak.” 

New pro-China president of Maldives Dr Mohamed Muizzu asks India to withdraw its military from the country, assures friendship will continue

OpIndia Staff
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New pro-China president of Maldives Dr Mohamed Muizzu asks India to withdraw its military from the country, assures friendship will continue

Dr Mohamed Muizzu, the newly elected president of the Maldives, has asked India to withdraw its military forces from the country. A notification issued by the president’s office stated that this request was formally made to Indian Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who visited the country to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new president.

President Mohamed Muizzu’s posted, “The Government of Maldives has formally requested the Government of India to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu formally made the request when he met the Minister of Earth Sciences of India, H.E. Mr. Kiren Rijiju, at the President’s Office earlier today,” on 18 November.

Responding to the development, Indian officials said that both countries will try to find a”workable solution”.

The development comes after the president had declared that he would expunge foreign military forces from the nation and reiterated his support for the withdrawal of a tiny Indian force from the Indian Ocean archipelago, which is a region where China and India compete for influence. The 45-year-old leader is the ninth president of the strategically placed island nation in the Indian Ocean.

In his first speech after becoming the president, he said that all foreign military will be expelled, without naming any country. “The country will not have any foreign military personnel in the Maldives,” Mohamed Muizzu said after being sworn in before Chief Justice Ahmed Adnan at a televised, open-air ceremony.

He is viewed as being more pro-China than his predecessor Ibrahim Mohamed Solih who had pushed for deeper ties with India. The premier stated that he would pursue trade with both countries at his inauguration on 17 November. “Lines of independence and sovereignty will be drawn clearly. The foreign military presence will be removed. I will keep friendships with foreign countries. There won’t be any enmity with countries close and far away.”

Major regional players India and China have both aimed to establish more sway over the island nation. Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Solih was defeated in September by Mizzu who is from the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). The latter ran on a platform of pledging closer economic connections with China and criticised his opponent’s trade policy as being biased in favour of India.

The relations of Maldives with India continue to be cordial as Muizzu declared that he would seek to balance the nation’s economic ties with both India and China. Earlier this week, he had said that he did not intend to replace the Indian military with Chinese military. High-ranking delegates from China and India were present for Muizzu’s inauguration.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proclaimed that his nation “remains committed to strengthening the time-tested India-Maldives bilateral relationship” following the election. Notably, there are reportedly 75 Indian military personnel stationed in the Maldives, which is a cluster of about 521,000 islands.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju met with Muizzu on 18 November one day after attending his inaugural ceremony. During their meeting, he reaffirmed India’s commitment to advancing substantive bilateral cooperation and strong people-to-people ties. He represented the country at the inaugural event, highlighting the nation’s “Neighbourhood First Policy.”

Rijiju also went to the site of a project of 4,000 social housing units at Hulhumale in the Maldives where their government is working with NBCC (India) Limited, formerly known as National Buildings Construction Corporation, a private Indian company and India’s Exim Bank, an infra-construction company under the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs to provide inclusive and affordable housing for everyone.

He had earlier, late on 17 November night, attended the inaugural reception for the visiting dignitaries at Kurumba Maldives, which was thrown by President Muizzu and First Lady Sajidha Mohamed following the oath-taking ceremony.

The Maldives holds a significant position in the Prime Minister’s vision of “SAGAR” (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the “Neighbourhood First Policy,” which makes it India’s principal maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It is strategically important to India because of its close proximity to the country’s west coast (only 70 nautical miles separate Minicoy from India’s west coast and 300 nautical miles from India’s west coast) and its position at the intersection of major commercial sea lanes that cross the Indian Ocean.

Israel denies reports ordering evacuation of Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital in an hour, thousands fled the medical centre amid conflicting reports

OpIndia Staff
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Israel denies reports ordering evacuation of Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital in an hour, thousands fled the medical centre amid conflicting reports

On 18th November (Saturday), the Israel Defence Forces denied reports that it had given orders to Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital to evacuate patients and staff within an hour. It added that it only responded to requests made by the director of Shifa Hospital who asked them for a safe route out for patients and staff who wished to leave the building. Earlier the hospital director said that Israeli troops instructed him to evacuate patients and staff, prompting thousands of people to flea.

In a statement, the IDF said, “This morning, the IDF acceded to the request of the director of Shifa Hospital to enable additional Gazans who were in the hospital, and would like to evacuate, to do so via the secure route.”

It categorically asserted, “At no point did the IDF order the evacuation of patients or medical teams and in fact proposed that any request for medical evacuation will be facilitated by the IDF.” 

“Medical personnel will remain in the hospital to support patients who are unable to evacuate,” the IDF added. According to the IDF, it provided additional food, water, and humanitarian aid to Shifa Hospital overnight.

It is important to note that earlier news agency AFP reported that the IDF troops had ordered the evacuation of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza “in the next hour” over loudspeakers. According to the hospital’s director, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, he was instructed to ensure “the evacuation of patients, wounded, the displaced and medical staff, and that they should move on foot towards the seafront.” 

Nonetheless, the purported orders by the IDF prompted thousands of Gazans lodged inside Al-Shifa Hospital to flee from the building and move Southwards. According to an estimate by the United Nations, around 2,300 patients, staff, and displaced Palestinians were sheltered inside the Al-Shifa facility.

As per the news agency AFP citing Gazan Health officials, hundreds of Gazans left Al-Shifa after reports claimed that Israel’s army gave the purported order to evacuate Gaza’s main hospital- Al-Shifa. Around 450 patients were left behind at the Al-Shifa Hospital. 

During the course of the Israel-Hamas war, Gaza City’s biggest medical centre Al-Shifa Hospital has been the focus of fighting for several weeks as the IDF has been asserting that the Hamas terror organisation operates a command center and labyrinth of tunnels underneath the hospital and making documentary revelations regarding the same.

Amid claims and counter-claims of evacuation orders for Al-Shifa Hospital, Israel has made repeated calls for the hospital to be evacuated to the south while the Gazan authority had maintained that many of the patients cannot be moved. 

Additionally, yesterday, the IDF released new images that showed a tunnel shaft found in the hospital complex. 

Apart from making revelations about Shifa Hospital, the military has said it recovered the bodies of two Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas on 7th October from the area of Shifa Hospital. Evidently, on Thursday evening (16th November), the IDF troops located the body of Yehudit Weiss in a building near the medical centre’s compound. 

Later on Friday morning, the IDF announced that it had recovered the body of Cpl. Noa Marciano a day earlier from another building adjacent to Shifa. It came three days after announcing that she had been killed in Hamas captivity.

“We see clear Hamas presence in all hospitals”: IDF official

Meanwhile, on Friday (17th November), Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, head of the IDF Southern Command asserted that Palestinian terror group Hamas has a “clear presence” in all Gaza hospitals. 

While carrying out an assessment at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Finkelman told troops, “We see the presence of Hamas in all hospitals, it is a clear presence. They make cynical use of the hospitals, like here in the heart of Shifa.” 

At the hospital, Israeli forces discovered an entry point to a Hamas tunnel and a stockpile of weapons, along with other findings in the preceding days.

While briefing media on Friday, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that troops found additional underground infrastructure at Shifa. He added that troops are still searching the complex for information on the hostages. 

His announcement came around 48 hours after the IDF launched a raid on Al-Shifa Hospital. 

Consipicoulously, Israeli forces have been sharing evidence stressing that the Palestinian terror outfit Hamas has been using ordinary Gazans as human shields and using buildings like schools, mosques, and Hospitals to hide its terror infrastructure. 

Sharing more updates on the same, the IDF released footage of the elite Duvdevan unit operating in the Gaza Strip. It said that the forces have raided several sites used by Hamas, killing operatives in the process.

As per the IDF, the Duvdevan forces found weapons and Hamas military equipment during a raid on a high school in Gaza. Further, the troops also raided the home of a Hamas field commander, finding weapons and Hamas instructional booklets. 

Israel Hamas war

It is important to note that on 7th October thousands of Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel killing more than 1,200, killing babies, raping women, maiming thousands, and taking more than 250 Israeli and foreign nationals as hostages to Gaza. The scale of brutality was the largest in the Independent history of the Jewish nation. 

In its retaliation, Israel has been carrying out ground operations in Northern Gaza in what it has called an operation to “dismantle” the terror infrastructure of Hamas in the Palestinian enclave. The ground operation was followed after nearly three weeks of aerial bombardment of the Palestinian enclave and Israel has asserted that Hamas has lost operational control of Northern Gaza.   

CBSE to implement biometric authentication in examination halls to curb malpractices, unfair means and impersonation: Report

OpIndia Staff
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CBSE to implement biometric authentication in examination halls to curb malpractices, unfair means and impersonation: Report

On 18 November, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) released proposals and announced its intention to introduce biometric authentication in exams in an effort to reduce misconduct, unfair practices and impersonation, News 18 reported. The significant change is going to impact about 17 lakh students and 1,500 test centres nationwide.

The news agency was able to obtain a document which read, “The Board conducts various examinations across the country both in offline/online modes i.e., pen and paper exam or CBT mode in various selected Cities across India. Biometric Authentication services (Digital Fingerprint capturing, photo capturing, Face matching with scanned photos of candidates for authentication of candidates) during Examination and post-examination are to be provided in approximately 1,200 to 1,500 examination centres per exam across the country.”

According to the board, the measure’s objective is to prevent malpractice, unfair methods and impersonation to guarantee a smooth examination process. The document added, “CBSE is keen to implement biometric authentication and attendance marking system to make the examination process robust by implementing Digital Finger-print capturing and Face matching (including photo capturing) of candidates by verifying Candidate’s identity on a real-time basis to monitor various activities of candidates at the examination centres across the country.”

CBSE said that four exams, 1,200–1,500 centres and 17 lakh applicants are expected to be covered under this initiative. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 5 crore.

The utilisation of the system

The CBSE document stated that a specified agency would use centre-specific data (roll numbers, photos, names, exam dates/shifts, etc.) from all registered candidates that the CBSE has received. This agency is going to employ the data for face matching, fingerprinting and photo capture during the exams, enabling a robust mechanism for candidate verification both during and after the process.

CBSE noted, “The agency will have to install state-of-the-art devices for digital fingerprint or photo capturing along with trained technical manpower to carry out this task at each & every examination centre during the conduct of the examination.” Furthermore, the CBSE has stated that there would be real-time attendance tracking. It has been stated that in order to automatically retrieve the candidate details from the application database supplied by the CBSE, the candidate’s admit card’s barcode or QR code including their roll number should be scanned or read.

It is necessary to manually enter the roll number and candidate information if the QR code or barcode on the admit card is missing or cannot be scanned. “Thereafter, fingerprint/photo capturing of a candidate and face matching by the device shall be done at the security gate before the beginning of the examination.”

The board stipulated that all tasks be finished prior to the examination’s conclusion. The database and application server are going to be located in two distinct seismic zones in India, with one location designated as DR (disaster recovery) and the other as a DC (data centre). “The agency should deploy a de-duplication algorithm across the database to avoid duplicating candidates’ records. The face matching should be performed between two images (provided during the online registration and the other captured on the day of the exam).”

At the time of security gate access, the specified agency also has to physically verify that the candidate’s photo matches the application database that CBSE provided. On the day of the exam, the agency would turn over all collected data to the CBSE upon completion of the task.

In addition, during the examination and post-examination phases, the agency would assign a minimum of one fingerprint/photo-capturing device and one face-matching device for every sixty candidates, to ensure that there are enough devices for quick entry of the students. “The Agency will have to ensure that all the devices must be functional and have captured fingerprints and photographs of each candidate who has appeared in the examination at each centre.”

According to the document, the agency would uphold absolute confidence and secrecy and won’t give any information about assignments or examinations to any individual or third party. In order to familiarise themselves with the facilities offered at each centre, the designated agency has also been encouraged by the CBSE to visit each one well in advance.

Apart from class 10 and class 12 board examinations, CBSE conducts the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) and the Class X optional proficiency test. It used to conduct several competitive exams earlier, including the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) (now merged with IIT JEE), All India Pre-Medical test/ Pre-Dental Entrance Test (replaced with NEET) and UGC NET, which are now conducted by the National Testing Agency.

OP Jindal Global University slams ‘activist’ who made anti-Hindu remarks during talk on Palestine issue, issues warning to ‘Professor’ for discriminating against Hindu students

OpIndia Staff
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OP Jindal Global University slams ‘activist’ who made anti-Hindu remarks during talk on Palestine issue, issues warning to ‘Professor’ for discriminating against Hindu students

On Monday (13th November), the Registrar of OP Jindal Global University wrote to academic turned ‘activist’ Achin Vanik about the anti-Hindu remarks that he made during a lecture on Palestinian history earlier this month.

In his letter, Professor Dabiru Shridhar Patnaik wrote, “I deeply regret that some remarks you made in your lecture were gratuitous and unrelated to its subject. Our faculty acted in good faith and, out of great respect for you, invited you to address our students.”

“For our students and faculty, it was informative to learn that Zionism is not anti- Muslim. But it was unnecessary and objectionable that you added that Hindutva is anti-Muslim,” he added.

The Registrar of the varsity pointed out, “Your remarks about the motivation of suicide bombers (and terrorists, intended to explain that they are more determined to die for their cause than to kill) came across as an expression of sympathy towards them instead of an unalloyed condemnation of the violence and death caused by them.”

“Unfortunately, when a scholar as distinguished as you are fails in the responsibility to exercise prudence when speaking about sensitive subjects, our university is rendered vulnerable,” he added.

While asking Achin Vanik to introspect, Professor Dabiru Shridhar Patnaik said, “We cannot contest the charge that some of your remarks were irresponsible and influenced your audience to take positions about developments in India which are not comparable to developments in Palestine and Israel.

“I earnestly hope that you will acknowledge these observations, made in my capacity as the Registrar, are reasonable. They call for your regret for bringing upon our university charges of insensitivity and irresponsibility. Therefore, I look to you to introspect on the consequences of your remarks and join me in sincerely regretting what happened,” he concluded.

On 1st November this year, ‘activist’ Achin Vanaik delivered a lecture at the OP Jindal Global University and claimed, “Zionism is not anti-Muslim, it is anti-Palestinian, but it is happy to piggyback on current Islamophobia. Hindutva is fundamentally and foundationally anti-Muslim”.

He also claimed that the assertion that Hindus are original inhabitants of India and Hinduism is among the oldest civilisations is wrong. Although the full video of the lecture is not available, one of the clips seems to suggest that he was referring to Israeli action against Hamas as terrorism.

Achin Vanaik also glorified suicide bombing, a very effective tool for Islamic Jihadi terrorists.

OP Jindal University calls out ‘Professor’ Sameena Dalwai

The Vice Chancellor of the varsity has written to Professor Sameena Dalwai, who had raised objections to the Hindu religious slogan ‘jai Shri Ram’, discriminated against Hindu students and invaded the privacy of pupils.

The said Professor accepted the accusations levelled against her in response to a show-cause notice. On Monday (13th November), Vice-Chancellor Professor C Raj Kumar wrote, “You (Sameena Dalwai) have failed in exercising due diligence and acted irresponsibly and thereby failed the university in its promise to create a safe space for its students.”

“We have noted that you have realized this mistake. We extend a letter of warning to you so that it shall not be repeated in future and that there will be no further condonation on our part to such acts,” he added.

“You have departed from the ethics of constructive conversation…Our university is a democratic and inclusive space, and we pride in the fact that we have carefully nurtured this ecosystem. Your actions have clearly undermined this spirit,” he added.

“We issue a warning to you that you shall remain aware of the dialogical proprieties and engage in respectful intellectual conversations with peers and students, even with and those who have viewpoints diametrically opposite to yours. There shall be no repetition of the violations in question,” the Vice Chancellor of the University warned.

In an email written by Sameena Dalwai to students who were opposed the lecture of Achin Vanik, she claimed that Hamas didn’t commit any atrocities on Israeli civilians, and it was all ‘fake news by Indian troll armies’.

She wrote, “Otherwise, I hear shouts of ‘Jai Sriram’ on campus, I see right wing students and faculty doing their own events. I want to react, but I keep quiet in favour of peace.”

Sameena Dalwai also came under the scanner for violating the privacy of a student in the classroom. The Organiser reportedly accessed a complaint letter submitted by the students on 23rd September, which allegeed that the accused Professor violated the privacy of students by accessing their Bumble account during class.

Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: Operational difficulties, fear of landslides, and machine malfunctions posing challenges, drilling from the top and other end also to begin

Paurush Gupta
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Uttarkashi tunnel rescue: Operational difficulties, fear of landslides, and machine malfunctions posing challenges, drilling from the top and other end also to begin

The rescue operation to extract 41 labourers from an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi that collapsed on 12th November entered its seventh day on Saturday (18th November). 165 personnel-strong rescue team from multiple agencies is working round-the-clock and all necessary measures have been put in place including roping in assistance from tunnel rescue experts from Thailand and Norway. 

However, the rescue efforts have encountered various challenges, with intermittent pauses attributed to factors such as fumes produced by the diesel-driven machinery in confined spaces, vibrations during drilling in the tunnel, and technical malfunctions in the drilling equipment.

Notably, on Friday (17th November) afternoon, the rescue operation was briefly halted for nearly an hour. The drilling work was halted after a loud cracking sound was heard in the tunnel at around 2:45 pm. The precautionary halt was taken as debris began once again falling toward the drilling machine while the rescue team was inserting the fifth tube into the tunnel. Soon, the rescue workers inside the tunnel were quickly evacuated to ensure their safety. 

The current rescue plan involves inserting six-meter sections of steel pipes one after the other as the machine drills through the debris. Each pipe has a diameter of 800 or 900 mm providing enough space for trapped labourers to squeeze out once the rescue team drills through the 60-meter debris and the pipes are inserted. 

“The machine is not able to push further as the machine is getting lifted and its bearings are getting damaged. Now they are anchoring the machine to a platform,” NHIDCL, which is building the tunnel said in a statement. 

Additionally, on Friday, the rescue operation also faltered as the second drilling machine also suffered damage, forcing authorities to slow down operations. Moreover, they were also forced to call in another auger machine and prepare a contingency plan.

Amid reports that the American auger machine, employed for drilling, encountered a technical fault, the construction company refuted these claims. It asserted that another American auger machine weighing approximately 25 tonnes was being brought in from Indore as a mere ‘backup’. As per media reports, it was slated to arrive at the rescue site today morning. 

Further, according to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) director Anshu Manish Khalkho, the operation occasionally pauses due to factors such as fumes generated by the diesel-driven machine in confined spaces and vibrations induced in the tunnel during drilling.

Another reason for the delay in the rescue operation is the complexity of achieving precise alignment of pipes and welding them before pushing through the debris has been taking time, the company director noted. 

Khalkho explained, “The pipes, each 6 metres in length, are aligned on the machine and pushed forward, with the auger drilling through debris and pushing muck backward. While this part of the process is relatively quick, the complexity arises during the alignment and welding of the pipes. The meticulous approach is intentional to prevent any misalignment, even for a centimetre.” 

Earlier while explaining the challenges faced by the rescue team, Khalkho said, “The nature of the rocks here is quite fragile, posing a significant challenge to the operation.”

An additional hurdle in the rescue operation is that they are forced to use diesel-powered auger machines within a confined space which pose breathing difficulties and should not be used in closed spaces. 

Khalkho added, “Diesel machines should ideally not operate in such confined spaces as the vibrations and need for continuous ventilation pose risks. But there is no other option, which is why we must run at optimal speed without rushing.”

Plan C involving the Indian Army

The repeated halts and operational difficulties coupled with machines developing technical slags have forced the rescue teams to develop a contingency plan. As horizontal drilling is facing challenges, the rescue team will now start separately drilling from the upper section of the tunnel. Uttarkashi DFO DP Baluni said that a spot right above the tunnel has been identified to start the vertical drilling. He said that a hole will be drilled from the top of the hill to reach the section of the tunnel where the workers are trapped. The depth of the whole would be approximately 300-350 feet.

Earlier an official involved in the rescue operation said that a team of geological experts was exploring a “plan C” and trying to identify suitable locations for creating a “parallel vertical tunnel followed by a horizontal one and vice versa”.

The official had said, “Initially, we did not conduct this survey as we believed we could navigate through the 60 metres of debris. However, based on a previous survey, we identified that a minimum drill depth of 103 metres will be required for this plan C. Implementing a 103-metre vertical drill poses risks as it may lead to additional debris falling. Nevertheless, if the current plan proves ineffective, we may consider exploring this alternative option.” 

The Indian Army has been deployed to build a trek to the top of the hill, from where vertical drilling will be done. Major Naman Narula said, “We have been given the work to build a trek so that we can do vertical drilling…We have to build around 320 meters trek so that we can take the drilling rig at the top. Our target is that we have to complete it by 9 AM tomorrow morning. We are working at war footing.”

The army official said around 150 people are working on it, and trees will be cut if needed to make the path. He added that at present one hole will be drilled as there is one machine, and around 80-100 meters will be needed to drill to reach the trapped workers.

Apart from this, another horizontal drilling from the Barkot end of the tunnel, the other end, will also be taken up. However, these two will be alternate options, the the drilling from the Silkyara will continue.

The third Rescue operation ongoing

Initially, it was believed that 40 persons were trapped inside the tunnel, but on Friday evenings officials said rescuers have now identified that 41 people have been trapped inside. According to officials, they have been monitoring the health of those trapped and they are safe. Additionally, officials have asserted that the temperature inside the tunnel is greater than outside conditions and there is no complaint of cold by persons stuck inside the tunnel.  

Small steel pipes have been inserted through the debris, which is being used to supply air, water and food to the trapped workers. Communication devices have also been provided to communicate with them. Their health statuses are continuously monitored.

The official said, “Nuts, roasted chickpeas, popcorn, and medicines were being sent to them via a pipe every two hours.” 

The officials supervising the rescue operation have asserted that while the progress in reaching the workers has been slow, the drilling machine has been able to drill a distance of 22 metres till Friday, approximately one-third.  

They said, “We have made a significant progress and reached approximately 22 metres inside. Our goal is to reach the opposite side as quickly as possible.” 

In the first four days of operations, two rescue attempts failed. In the first, rescuers tried to dig through the rubble using heavy excavator machines, but loose rock and sand collapsing from the roof of the tunnel impeded progress. Then they tried to drill a hole using an auger machine and fitting large pipes. But the attempt was stymied when the machine suffered damages after hitting a boulder.

At around 10:30 am on Thursday, the third attempt began using a heavier American auger machine transported from Delhi. The initial auger machine, boasting 35 HP (horsepower), could drill at a rate of 1 meter per hour. In contrast, the new 175-200 HP machine demonstrated the capability to cut through rock at a speed of 5 meters per hour. However, on Friday, this machine also encountered difficulties and has been unable to advance further. 

Earlier during the rescue operation, the drilling machine had stopped after it hit a metallic object. After a halt of a few hours, the matching started working on Friday morning. As per officials, there could be a JCB machine or other similar earth-moving equipment of large size under the debris. This is why it is taking so long to dig through it and make a way for a safe escape.

It is important to note at this pace, even if operations continue uninterrupted under the current method, the rescuers will need at least two more days to reach the workers.

Sacha Baron Cohen and other Jewish celebrities slam TikTok for promoting people supporting Osama Bin Laden in meeting with the app’s officials

OpIndia Staff
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Sacha Baron Cohen and other Jewish celebrities slam TikTok for promoting people supporting Osama Bin Laden in meeting with the app’s officials

On Wednesday, November 15, Jewish actor Sacha Baron Cohen slammed TikTok for allegedly creating “the biggest antisemitic movement since the Nazis. The film “Dictator” fame actor made these remarks during a private video call meeting joined by TikTok executives and other officials and over 30 Jewish TikTok content creators and celebrities. It is notable that the short video platform has come under fire after a video containing Osama Bin Laden’s letter to the USA shortly after the 9/11 attack went viral, with thousands of youths sharing the video in support of the terror leader’s views.

The video conference, which lasted roughly 90 minutes and was attended by more than 30 people, included actors Sacha Baron Cohen, Debra Messing, and Amy Schumer. In the meeting, TikTok was represented by its head of operations, Adam Presser, and Seth Melnick, the company’s global head of user operations. The management stated that they wanted to learn more about the experiences of the actors and TikTok content creators to enhance the app, The New York Times reported.

During the meeting, Sacha Baron Cohen said, “What is happening at TikTok is it is creating the biggest antisemitic movement since the Nazis. Shame on you! The actor added that TikTok could “flip a switch” to silence such videos.

“If you think back to Oct. 7, the reason why Hamas were able to behead young people and rape women was they were fed images from when they were small kids that led them to hate,” Cohen continued.

The celebrities and content creators emphasised how TikTok’s mechanisms failed to prevent a deluge of comments such as “Hitler was right” or “I hope you end up like Anne Frank” under videos made by them and other Jewish TikTokers.

One TikTok executive Adam Presser, the head of operations who is also Jewish, agreed, “Obviously a lot of what Sacha says, there’s truth to that,” but added that there was no “magic button” that would solve all of the problems.

He also appeared to have condoned the usage of anti-Semitic slogans such as “from the river to the sea,” which calls for the annihilation of all Jews from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. Adam Presser asserted that it was a matter of interpretation and that the phrase was being used “casually”.

This prompted a strong response from Debra Messing who said, “It is much more responsible to bar it at this juncture than to say, ‘Oh, well, some people, they use it in a different way than it actually was created to mean.’ I understand that you are in a very, very difficult and complicated place, but you also are the main platform for the dissemination of Jew hate.”

Notably, TikTok organised the meeting with the Jewish celebrities on Wednesday in reaction to an open letter they published last week criticising the short video application.

Jewish celebrities write letter slamming TikTok

“Simply put, TikTok lacks critical safety features to protect Jewish content creators and the broader Jewish TikTok community, leaving us in digital and physical danger. Sadly, rampant antisemitism is a common problem that TikTok has failed to address for far too long. The daily reality for Jewish content creators on TikTok includes death threats, endless threatening comments on posts (many just for being Jewish) and a barrage of harassment in all forms of TikTok-facilitated interaction,” the letter read signed by Amy Schumer, Debra Messing and other Jewish celebrities read.

Osama Bin Laden’s letter goes viral, TikTok issues statement saying content justifying Osama’s letter not a viral trend

It is pertinent to note that after Islamic terrorist Osama Bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America’ in which he explained why Al Qaeda executed the attacks of 9/11 in America went viral over social media, TikTok was alleged to have been promoting posts justifying the deadly terror attack.

On Thursday, TikTok took to X to say that the platform is removing posts promoting Bin Laden’s letter as it wrote, “Content promoting this letter clearly violates our rules on supporting any form of terrorism. We are proactively and aggressively removing this content and investigating how it got onto our platform.”

The company, however, also claimed that the content did not reflect a pervasive trend, but rather a few posts on the platform. “The number of videos on TikTok is small and reports of it trending on our platform are inaccurate. This is not unique to TikTok and has appeared across multiple platforms and the media.”

This came after a large number of Americans demanded a ban on TikTok for promoting Osama’s letter. On Friday (17th November), Former UN Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley called for a ban on the Chinese video app over the viral videos supporting Osama. “Ban Tik Tok. Stop giving the Chinese Communist Party the ability to influence Americans,” she said. American TV personality Donny Deutsch said that around 51 percent of the young Americans sided with Laden for attacking the Twin tower. “This is majorly because of the TikTok app run by China. What is happening to people’s minds? I am really worried,” he said.

Israel War Room Twitter handle said that TikTok is a Chinese Communist Party propaganda app that is doing incalculable damage to the mental health of young people in America, adding that it broadcasts one-sided and dishonest content on Israel.

The letter that went viral on TikTok and was supported by thousands of American youths is an English translation of an original Arabic letter, published by the Guardian in 2002. Following the controversy, Osama Bin Laden’s ‘Letter to America’ was removed by The Guardian from its website on 15 November, 21 years after it was published. The English translation of the original Arabic letter by the Islamic terrorist was published in ‘Observer’ of ‘The Guardian’ on 24th November 2002.

It is notable that Israel attacked Gaza in retaliation to the terrorist attack by Hamas on 7th October 2023. After the war started, there were multiple incidents of pro-Gaza and pro-Palestine demonstrations in the USA and other countries. Moreover, Jews especially Jewish students have been abused, harassed and even attacked in the US and other parts of the world.

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