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Canada removes 41 diplomats and their family members from India after New Delhi’s deadline, FM Melanie Joly informs

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Canada removes 41 diplomats and their family members from India after New Delhi’s deadline, FM Melanie Joly informs

Canada Foreign Minister Melanie Joly announced on Thursday (local time) that Canada has removed 41 diplomats and their 42 family members, from India over the ongoing row between the two countries. 

“As of now, I can confirm that India has formally conveyed its plan to unethically remove diplomatic immunities for all but 21 Canadian diplomats and dependents in Delhi by tomorrow, October 20. This means 41 Canadian diplomats and their 42 dependents were in danger of having immunity stripped on an arbitrary date. And this would put their personal safety at risk,” Joly said, as she confirmed the departure of Canadian diplomats. 

This comes after India suspended visa operations to Canada and called for a reduction in Canadian diplomats in India, calling for ‘parity’, owing to the ongoing diplomatic row between the two nations. 

Canadian Foreign Minister said, “…we have facilitated their safe departure from India. This means that our diplomats and their families have now left diplomatic immunities. Keep diplomats safe, no matter where they’re from and where they’re sent to. Immunities allow diplomats to do their work without fear of reprisal or arrests from the country they’re in.” 

“They are a fundamental principle of diplomacy and this is a two-way street. They only work if every country abides by the rules. A unilateral revocation of diplomatic privilege and immunities is contrary to international law. It is a clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and threatening to do so is unreasonable and escalatory. If we allow the norm of diplomatic immunity to be broken no diplomats anywhere on the planet would be safe,” she said, adding that Canada “will not reciprocate,” she said, according to CTV news.

Along with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Marc Miller, the minister made the announcement about the development “on the situation with India” and how it will affect the level of service delivery Canada can offer following the withdrawal of diplomats. 

She said, “There’s no question that India’s decision will impact the levels of services to citizens in both countries. Unfortunately, we have to put a pause on all in-person services in our consulates in Chandigarh, Mumbai and in Bangalore.” 

“Canadians who need consular assistance can still visit our High Commission in Delhi. And you can still also do that in person by phone and by email,” she added. 

This comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was questioned on Thursday about the situation with the Indian government’s deadline of October 10 for Ottawa to considerably reduce its diplomatic presence. 

Joly would have more to say later, Trudeau said, declining to directly respond to the query, according to CTV News. 

“We have been continually engaged in diplomacy and in dialogue with the Indian government,” Trudeau said, adding “This is a serious matter that we are taking extremely seriously,” CTV News reported. 

Stating that India’s focus is achieving ‘parity’ in terms of diplomatic presence, the Ministry of External Affairs had called for a reduction in Canadian diplomats in India citing their continued “interference” in New Delhi’s “internal matters”. 

Addressing the press briefing earlier, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Given the much higher presence of diplomats or diplomatic presence here…and their continued interference in our internal matters, we have sought parity in our respective diplomatic presence. Discussions are ongoing on the modalities of achieving this”. 

“Given that Canadian diplomatic presence is higher, we would assume that there would be a reduction,” he added. 

On being asked if the reduction in the number of Canadian diplomats could see a decrease in the number of visas issued by the Canadian High Commission in India, Bagchi said, “It’s up to the Canadian side, who they choose to staff the High Commission with…our concerns are related to ensuring parity in diplomatic presence”. 

He further added that India’s primary focus is on two things; having an atmosphere in Canada, where Indian diplomats can work properly and in achieving parity in terms of diplomatic strength. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Nijjar. 

Trudeau, during a debate in the Canadian Parliament, claimed his country’s national security officials had reasons to believe that “agents of the Indian government” carried out the killing of the Canadian citizen, who also served as the president of Surrey’s Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara. 

However, India has outrightly rejected the claims, calling it ‘absurd’ and ‘motivated’. Notably, Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. 

Nijjar, who was a designated terrorist in India, was gunned down outside a Gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada’s Surrey, British Columbia on June 18. 

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

As clip of Pierre Poilievre eating an apple and decimating liberal interviewer goes viral, Indians recall this legendary clip of Navrottam Mishra during his Barkha Dutt interview

OpIndia Staff
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As clip of Pierre Poilievre eating an apple and decimating liberal interviewer goes viral, Indians recall this legendary clip of Navrottam Mishra during his Barkha Dutt interview

A Canadian politician has been the topic of discussion on social media this week. No, it’s not the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and his “spoke about India and the importance of upholding – and respecting – the rule of law” comment. It is the Canadian leader of the opposition Pierre Poilievre and his interview with a leftist journalist while munching an apple.

A video of Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, from his interview with Times Chronicle editor Don Urquhart has gone viral. The interview was taken when the politician was in Osoyoos town in British Columbia to meet fruit growers there. The journalist said that there is a general impression that Poilievre is a “populist” who plays with people’s emotions in what he found was similar to former US President Donald Trump.

As seen in the video, Pierre Poilievre was seen eating the apple and calmly dismissing the liberal journalist’s assertions as well as asking Urquhart who he was quoting in the video. Prior to moving on to other questions, Urquhart continued his failed endeavours to label the Conservative leader a “populist”.

The entire conversation goes like this:

Journalist Don Urquhart: “In terms of your sort of strategy currently, you’re obviously taking the populist pathway…”

Poilievre: “What does that mean?”

Urquhart: “Mean well…appealing appealing to people’s more emotional levels, I would guess, um.”

Poilievre: “What do you mean by that? Give me an example.”

Urquhart: “Certainly you tape very strong ideological language quite frequently…”

Poilievre: “Like what?”

Urquhart: “Left wing you know this and that right wing you know what I mean..”

Poilievre: “I never really talk about left or right way…I don’t believe in that..”

A visibly nervous Times Chronicle editor decided to mention Donald Trump again insinuating that Poilievre is trying to imitate Trump and his strategies, however, the journalist passed it off as “many people say”. To this Poilievre inquires “which people” say that, amusingly, Urquhart failed to tell which people exactly say that “Poilievre is simply taking a page out of Donald Trump’s book”.

Not losing his calm for even a second, Pierre Poilievre asked the journalist that since he was the one who asked the question “he must know somebody” who said that. The journalist obviously could not name anyone since he was apparently passing off his personal opinion as “a great many Canadians say.”

Moments later, Urquhart brought up the Donald Trump book and the ‘page’ again while “Why would Canadians trust Poilievre their votes given the ideological inclination in terms of taking the page of Donald Trump’s book.”

Poilievre interrupted the journalist to inquire about the ‘page’ he repeatedly mentions.

“What are you talking about? What page? What page? Can you give me the page? Give me the page. You keep saying that,” the Conservative leader asked.

The journalist accused Poilievre of making “quite a play” regarding his rhetoric on Trudeau and the Canadian left wing.

“In terms of turning things dramatically in terms of Trudeau and the left wing and all of this you make, you know it’s quite a play that you make on it..,” the journalist said.

After Pierre Poilievre told him he could not comprehend the question, the journalist instantly moved on to another.

The Conservative leader who is emerging as a popular leader ahead of the elections in Canada next year ended the interview by urging Canadians to vote for him on “common sense” grounds. He bemoaned Trudeau for purportedly producing the “worst inflation in four decades” by printing money eight times faster than the economy.

Pierre Poilievre’s “apple munching interview” reminds Indian netizens of BJP leader Narottam Mishra’s no-nonsense interview with Barkha Dutt while having a meal

The Canadian Conservative Party leader’s taking down of a leftist journalist made many Indian netizens recall the Mojo Story interview by Barkha Dutt wherein Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra while having his food gave fierce and unpologetic responses to Dutt’s questions intended to make the minister give some placating remarks or express guilt over the bulldozing of illegal properties of the rioters involved in anti-Hindu violence in Khargone during Ram Navami last year.

An X user wrote, “Pierre Poilievre’s acting is good. He is copying the style of Narottam Mishra, the world’s popular Indian Sigma celebrity.”

Another one posted, “Reminded me of Mishra and Dutt conversation.”

One “Captain Short” wrote, “Reminds moment of #drnarottammisra giving it back to chomo story having his meal.”

Another X user wrote, “Like @drnarottammisra has done with Bharka. That conversation also mind-blowing.”

During the interview last year, Dutt who is notorious for garnering sympathy for terrorists like Burhan Wani by calling him a poor school headmaster’s son, had asked Minister Mishra to explain why the houses of the rioters were bulldozed, allegedly without any legal formalities. She questioned if the state would declare the accused guilty and take such actions in the future. Dr Mishra bluntly told her that it was a tit-for-tat. “These are anti-social elements. They make the lives of others miserable. They burnt down the houses and injured several people who were now admitted to the hospital. An SP was shot by them and a PI was severely injured. You tell me what should be done with people like these.”

Dutt’s attempts to guilt trip Minister Mishra for bulldozing the properties of the rioters fell flat as the BJP leader while enjoying his meal made it clear that the houses of the stone-pelters would be reduced to rubble. Dr Mishra further asserted that if riots happen in the future, his statement will remain the same. When asked if he regrets using Bulldozer, he said he was satisfied with the action. The details of the full interview can be read here.

Hiranandani turns approver, confirms that Mahua Moitra gave him parliamentary login credentials, took luxury gifts for asking questions targeting Adani

OpIndia Staff
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Hiranandani turns approver, confirms that Mahua Moitra gave him parliamentary login credentials, took luxury gifts for asking questions targeting Adani

Darshan Hiranandani, the CEO of Hiranandani Group has turned approver in the scandal surrounding Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, which involves allegations of her taking cash and gifts from the businessman to ask specific questions in the Parliament.

In the signed affidavit submitted by Hiranandani, the billionaire businessman accepted paying for most of the questions asked by Mahua Moitra in the Lok Sabha in the form of cash and gifts. He also acknowledged that the TMC MP provided him with her Parliamentary login credentials which he used to ask questions from the central government on her behalf.

To rise to fame, TMC MP was suggested to target Gautam Adani to malign PM Modi

In the explosive revelations, which will undoubtedly make things more difficult for the TMC MP, Darshan Hiranandani further revealed that the TMC MP was “over-ambitious” and in her desperation to shoot to fame, she took the advice of her few friends who told her that the only way to be recognized at a national level is to target PM Modi and since the PM had an impeccable reputation, the only tenable way to do that was to malign Gautam Adani.

“Mahua Moitra was very ambitious and wanted to quickly make a name for herself at the national level. She was advised by her friends and advisors that the shortest possible route to fame is by personally attacking Shri Narendra Modi, the honourable Prime Minister of India. The only problem was that Sh. Modi enjoyed an impeccable reputation and was not giving any opportunity to anyone to attack him in policy, governance or personal conduct. As was her wont, she thought that the only way to attack Sh. Modi is by attacking Gautam Adani and his group as both were contemporaries, and they belong to the same state of Gujarat. She was helped by the fact that the rise of Sh. Gautam Adani had created jealousy and detractors among some sections of businesses, politics and media, both within and outside the country. So she expected support from these sections in her endeavour to malign and embarrass the Prime Minister by targeting Adani,” the affidavit read.

“She requested me to keep supporting her in her attacks on the Adani group and provided me with her Parliament login and password so that I could post the questions directly on her behalf when required. I went along with her proposal… Certain information was shared with me, based on which I continued to draft and post questions using her Parliamentary login whenever needed,” Hiranandani said.

Mahua Moitra was fed ‘unverified information’ from people like Sucheta Dalal and Rahul Gandhi on matters relating to Adani companies

The businessman went on to also provide the names of some veteran journalists, opposition leaders, and foreign media outlets who had helped her in her endeavour to utilize Adani as a pawn in order to eventually tarnish the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to the businessman turned approver’s affidavit, the anti-Modi brigade of journalists like Sucheta Dalal, Shardul Shroff and Pallavi Shroff; Congress’ Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor; and foreign media outlets like The NewYork Times and BBC fed her with ‘unverified information’ which she, in turn, shared with Hiranandani who used the Rajya Sabha MP’s Parliamentary login to ask questions from the central government.

“Ms Moitra, in her endeavour, was getting help from other people like Sucheta Dalal, Shardul Shroff and Pallavi Shroff, who were also in touch with her, and who were feeding her with all kinds of unverified information relating to Sh. Gautam Adani and his companies. Clearly, there were others who were also assisting her in this targeted attack. She had interactions with many Congress leaders, including Sh. Rahul Gandhi, on matters relating to Adani companies. She also had frequent interactions with international journalists from the Financial Times, the New York Times, the BBC and also with several Indian publications. She also received unverified details from several sources, including some claiming to be former Adani group employees. Certain information was shared with me, based on which I continued to draft and post questions using her Parliamentary login whenever needed,” the affidavit read.

For the unversed, Shardul Shroff and Pallavi Shroff are lawyers, Shardul Shroff is the Executive Chairman and Pallavi Shroff is the Managing Partner of the law firm Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co. Meanwhile, Sucheta Dalal is a veteran financial journalist who has published many articles against the Adani Group.

The businessman, meanwhile, added in his affidavit that Mahua Moitra bonded extremely well with leaders of the Opposition like Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor and Pinaki Mishra and he too thought he could use her clout to get support from opposition leaders, which is why he gave her expensive gifts and fulfilled all her exorbitant demands ranging from gifting her expensive luxury items, providing support on the renovation of her officially allotted bungalow in Delhi, travel expenses, holidays, etc, apart from providing secretarial and logistical help for her travels within India and to different parts of the world.

“Many a times I felt that she was taking undue advantage of me and pressurising me to do things I didn’t want to, but I had no choice, because of the aforementioned reasons,” he stated.

The controversy surrounding TMC MP Mahua Moitra

On 15th October, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha (MP) Nishikant Dubey levelled serious allegations against Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, saying she took cash and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask specific questions in the Parliament. MP Dubey has submitted a formal complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking an inquiry against Moitra and urged the Speaker for her immediate suspension.

OpIndia accessed a copy of the complaint filed by Adv Dehadrai that contained a list of items that Moitra allegedly got in exchange for asking questions in the Parliament. Click here to know more about the allegations, products, and their costs.

Israel-Hamas War: 12-year-old Israeli autistic Harry Potter fan found dead, JK Rowling had posted her plight on social media after Hamas abducted her

OpIndia Staff
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Israel-Hamas War: 12-year-old Israeli autistic Harry Potter fan found dead, JK Rowling had posted her plight on social media after Hamas abducted her

The Israeli authorities confirmed on Wednesday, 18 October, that the dead bodies of the 12-year-old Israeli girl Noya Dan and her 80-year-old grandmother, who were kidnapped by the Hamas terrorists, have been recovered. According to Israeli news sources, their bodies were found burned near the Israel-Gaza border fence by workers for the ZAKA Search and Rescue organisation.

Noya Dan’s ordeal gained international attention after Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling had posted about her abduction. The terrorists reportedly kidnapped Noya Dan and her 80-year-old grandmother during the 7 October attack on civilians in the Jewish state.

The Israeli government verified that the autistic girl was killed alongside her granny Carmela Dan. They expressed gratitude to those “who shared her story to help us bring her home” and added that “our hearts are broken.”

The minor’s photograph, which showcased her in a costume like a character from the popular Harry Potter series was released by the Israeli administration which called her “sensitive, kind and funny.” Following their appeal for international assistance to free her from Hamas’ custody, the renowned author JK Rowling tweeted the story and vehemently denounced the Palestinian terror organisation for targeting kids.

She remarked that her “picture has hit home with me”. She termed the action of abducting kids as “despicable and wholly unjustifiable.” She hoped, “May Noya and all hostages taken by Hamas be returned soon, safely, to their families.”

Noya became the face of Israel’s despair after the Harry Potter author commented on the post. However, all the attempts to return her home by the Israeli government were unsuccessful.

Following her death, Noya’s family shared a heart-wrenching video footage where the 12-year-old can be seen singing with her mother. The footage is from just a month before she was killed. 

The background of the gut-wrenching incident

On the fateful day of the assault, Noya, her grandmother and three other family members named Erez Kalderon, Sahar Kalderon and Ofer Kalderon were taken from a Jewish settlement. The elderly matriarch of the Kalderon-Dan family who had been residing in Kibbutz Nir Oz close to the country’s border with Gaza was being visited by Noya Dan. Hamas kidnapped the five people and brought them to Gaza.

Noya Dan with her grandmother. (Source: India Today) 

A video that surfaced showing 11-year-old Erez being dragged away by Hamas infiltrators confirmed that they had been held prisoner, according to Abbey Onn, another member of the family who has been trying to track down her five relatives. When the assailants stormed inside their place, Noya’s mother had shared an agonising farewell conversation with her. “Mummy, I’m scared. There are people in the house, help me.” She begged the woman over the phone and it turned out to be their last chat.

“Carmela is an avid cook, gardener and compassionate caregiver. Together with her late husband, she has dedicated years to selflessly facilitating medical care for Palestinians from Gaza in Israel. With age, she has suffered from heart problems and the onset of dementia. Noya, who loves Harry Potter, is a bright young girl on the autism spectrum, sensitive to noise, light and touch,” Abbey Onn wrote in The Hill on 18 October. Ofer was Carmelia’s son, and Erez and Sahar were her grandchildren. The whereabouts of these three individuals are still not known.

With the intention of using them as negotiating chips to secure the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, Hamas took about 200 Israelis as captives including women, men, babies and the elderly. Tragically, several of them have already passed away while in custody, making this Israel’s largest hostage crisis to date.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi suddenly springs to condemn Hamas terror attack after Sharad Pawar criticised PM Modi for standing with Israel

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi suddenly springs to condemn Hamas terror attack after Sharad Pawar criticised PM Modi for standing with Israel

Almost two weeks after the horrific terror attack by Hamas on Israel, the Congress party has finally condemned the attack, after initially expressing support for Palestine. On Thursday, 19 October, Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi issued an official statement on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas for the first time after two weeks following the gruesome terror attack on the Israelis by Hamas assailants. He while denouncing violence also stated that it is a crime against humanity to kill innocent civilians in Gaza and to cut off their access to food, water and electricity.

Notably, the Congress Party had already announced its support for Palestine. On 9 October, its members declared their sympathies with the Palestinian people, just one day after General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, who oversees communications, ‘condemned’ the savage attacks carried out by the terror group against the Jewish state. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) raised worry about the critical situation and called for a truce in a resolution that was passed as well as endorsed the rights of the Palestinian people.

Interestingly, Rahul Gandhi’s direct condemnation of Hamas comes after I.N.D.I. Alliance partner Sharad Pawar was widely criticised by the BJP for his comments on the issue, asking the Indian govt to take the side of Palestinians. National Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar asserted India’s unwavering support for Palestine during a speech to party workers in Mumbai on 15 October and claimed that previous Indian prime ministers “stood firmly with Palestine.” He charged Israel as an ‘oppressor’ and responsible for the current state of affairs. The politician alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was wrong to support the victim nation following one of the deadliest terrorist assaults in recent memory which took the lives of over 1,300 innocent Israelis.

He argued, “We want peace in the world. Now, there is a war going on between Israel and Palestine. The entire land is of Palestine and Israel encroached on their land. That place, land and houses, everything was of Palestine and later Israel took over it. Israel is an outsider and the land is originally of Palestine. After encroachment, Israel was formed.”

He further continued, “We want peace in the world. Now, there is a war going on between Israel and Palestine. The entire land is of Palestine and Israel encroached on their land. That place, land and houses, everything was of Palestine and later Israel took over it. Israel is an outsider and the land is originally of Palestine. After encroachment, Israel was formed.”

The NCP chief lamented, “It is very unfortunate that for the first time, our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) stood with Israel, leaving the real issue over there. He neglected the real issue. We should be clear about our stand. The stand of the NCP should be clear. We stand by the people who originally belonged to that land.”

His was slammed by Union Minister Piyush Goyal who referred to his comments as ‘preposterous.’ He posted, “It is very disturbing when a senior leader like Sharad Pawar makes preposterous statements on India’s stand on a terror attack in Israel. The menace of terrorism has to be condemned in all forms, in any part of the world. It is a pity that a person who has been India’s Defence Minister as well as a Chief Minister many times has such a casual view of issues relating to terror.”

On 17 October a number of prominent figures in the Indian Opposition including Congress leader Mani Shankar Iyer, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Jha, Communist Party of India leader D Raja, Bahujan Samaj Party MP Kunwar Danish Ali along with others lambasted Israel for its action after the terror act perpetrated by Hamas.

“The international community must exert pressure on the state of Israel to abide by International laws and respect the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people. We call for intensified diplomatic efforts and multilateral initiatives to ensure a lasting peace in the region,” they claimed in a press resolution.

It further read, “We urge an immediate cessation of all hostilities to prevent further loss of innocent lives and the destruction of homes and infrastructure. Furthermore, we call for urgent and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.”

Importantly, the Indian government firmly sided with Israel in the aftermath of the assault. “Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour,” wrote PM Modi on his official X account.

He had a telephone conversation with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and reaffirmed his support to the people of Israel. He posted, “I thank Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his phone call and providing an update on the ongoing situation. The people of India stand firmly with Israel in this difficult hour. India strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”

Three Palestinian terrorist leaders Jehad Mheisen, Rafat Abu Hilal and Jamila al-Shanti eliminated in airstrikes by Israel, read details

OpIndia Staff
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Three Palestinian terrorist leaders Jehad Mheisen, Rafat Abu Hilal and Jamila al-Shanti eliminated in airstrikes by Israel, read details

Senior Hamas leader Jehad Mheisen was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Thursday, 19th October, during the ongoing bombing of Hamas sites in Gaza. The attack took place in Gaza’s Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, eliminating Mheisen as well as several other close aides of the terrorist including some family members.

Palestinian media outlet Jerusalem News Network stated, “Major General Jehad Mheisen, Commander of the Palestinian National Security Forces in the Gaza Strip, and his family were killed by the bombing of his house inside the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood.”

Other Islamic terrorists killed today

The Israeli Defence forces have eliminated many more terrorist leaders from Hamas and other terrorist organisations. Among others reportedly killed on Thursday 19th October are Rafat Abu Hilal and Jamila al-Shanti.

Rafat Abu Hilal was the head of the military wing of Gaza’s Popular Resistance Committees terror group, the third-largest terror faction in the Gaza Strip after Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Jamila al-Shanti was the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi.

With the killing of Al-Shanti, there are now four members of the political bureau of Hamas who have been shot by Israeli airstrikes since the Hamas assault on 7th October that sparked the conflict.

On 10th October, the terrorist organisation’s internal relations head Zakariya Abu Moammar and financial manager Jawad Abu Shamala were both killed. On 16th October, Osama Mazini, a former member of the Shura Council and minister of education for Hamas, was shot.

Other Islamic terrorists eliminated by Israel so far in this war

On 17th October (Tuesday), the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) carried out airstrikes on a home that reportedly belonged to the family of Hamas Chairman Ismail Haniyeh, who currently lives in Qatar. 14 members of his family were eliminated in the strike. On the same day, an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip eliminated the head of Hamas’s Central Gaza Brigade, Ayman Nofal

The head of Hamas’s Air Force Murad Abu Murad was killed in the Israeli airstrike on 14th October. On the same day, the Israeli Air Force eliminated a top Hamas terrorist named Ali Qadi, who led the mass killing of Israeli civilians during the terror attack on 7th October.

Islamic terrorists’ anti-Israel propaganda regarding an explosion at a hospital busted

Amidst the ongoing violence, reports of a devastating explosion at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in the Gaza Strip emerged. Palestinians and several Arab countries, including Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, were quick to point fingers at Israel, accusing them of deliberately targeting the medical facility.

Media houses like Al Jazeera, the Iranian channel Press TV, and the likes of Alt News co-founder Mohammed Zubair ran propaganda being pushed by Hamas, claiming it was an Israeli rocket. Later, multiple proofs appeared making it clear that Israel did not attack the hospital. It was revealed that the rocket that fell on the hospital was not shot by Israel but by an Iran-backed terrorist organisation, Islamic Jihad, that operates from Gaza.

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, now in its 13th day, has taken a heavy toll on the region. The death toll has climbed to nearly 5,000 people, with many more injured on both sides. On 7th October, Hamas terrorists entered Israel using motor gliders, boats, and trucks, targeting civilians and Israeli soldiers.

Since then, Hamas has taken over 300 people hostage. In response, Israel has launched counterattacks on the Islamic terrorists, vowing to dismantle their infrastructure.

Hamas used North Korean rocket launchers during the terror attack on Israel: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Hamas used North Korean rocket launchers during the terror attack on Israel: Report

Even though North Korea earlier denied that it sold arms to terrorist organisations like Hamas, it has come to light that Hamas might have used North Korean weapons during its brutal attack on Israel on 7th October.

The F-7 rocket-propelled grenade, a shoulder-fired weapon employed by Hamas against armoured vehicles, is one of the weapons at the forefront of the war against Israel. Two specialists on North Korean armaments and South Korean military intelligence confirmed a video of Hamas terrorists using the F-7 rocket launcher. The Associated Press also investigated weaponry found on the battlefield.

According to an AP report, these rocket launchers shoot a single warhead and can be swiftly reloaded, making them useful weapons for minuscule militias and guerrilla forces battling heavy vehicles.

“It is not a surprise to see North Korean weapons with Hamas,” said Matt Schroeder, a senior researcher with Small Arms Survey who wrote a guide to North Korea’s light weapons.

Apart from the F-7 rocket launcher, Hamas propaganda videos and images show its terrorists armed with North Korea’s Bulsae guided anti-tank missile.

According to N.R. Jenzen-Jones, the director of the consultancy Armament Research Services, Hamas also deployed North Korea’s Type 58 self-loading rifle, a derivative of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

“North Korea has long supported Palestinian militant groups, and North Korean arms have previously been documented amongst interdicted supplies,” Jenzen-Jones said.

The Associated Press report states that they analysed a Hamas video that showed one terrorist holding the F-7 with a visible red stripe. The red stripe and other aesthetic aspects resembling the F-7 were also present in weapons recovered by the Israeli military and exhibited to journalists.

During a press conference Tuesday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff specifically mentioned the F-7 as one of the North Korean weapons they suspect Hamas utilised in the attack.

The Israeli military refused to identify the source and maker of the rocket-propelled grenades, citing the continuing conflict with Hamas. According to Jenzen-Jones, the F-7 has been photographed in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip.

Notably, Pyongyang last week rejected claims that it was supplying Hamas with weaponry as a “groundless and false rumour” spread by the US.

“It is nothing but a bid to shift the blame for the Middle East crisis caused by (the United States’) wrong hegemonic policy onto a third country and thus evade the international criticism focused on the empire of evil,” North Korea said.

It could have injured my eye: Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan reveals he was hit with an iron nail by the crowd in Peshawar in 2006

OpIndia Staff
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It could have injured my eye: Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan reveals he was hit with an iron nail by the crowd in Peshawar in 2006

On Friday (19th October), former Indian cricketer turned Commentator and Cricket Analyst Irfan Pathan revealed that he was attacked with an iron nail by a Pakistani fan in Pakistan’s Peshawar. He revealed this while commenting on the India-Bangladesh World Cup match today. He said that years ago when the Indian Cricket team had been to Peshawar, one of the Pakistani fans threw an iron nail at him which could have damaged his eyes.

Irfan made these revelations amid the ongoing India-Bangladesh Asia World Cup match in Pune. This is after his co-commentator asked him about his opinion about the off-field controversy that Pakistan Cricket team’s management has raked after the recent India-Pakistan match in Ahmedabad.

“Does off-field controversy impact team performance or their morale?” the co-commentator asked to which Irfan replied saying that he was in a Peshawar match where he was performing well, and Team India was performing well. Then one Pakistani fan threw a keel (iron nail) at him and it hit his face.

He said, “Peshawar me ham khelne gaye the, tab ek Pakistani fan ne meri aankh k niche keel mardi thi. Lekin hamne iss baat ka batangad ni banaya. Dus minute game ruki, sab aye, aur uske baad hum sabne decide kiya ki achcha tour chal raha hai, chalne dete hai.” (We were playing a game in Peshawar, when a fan threw a nail at me, which struck me under my eye. I could have gotten seriously injured. The match was halted for 10 minutes, but we did not pay any heed to it as we were playing good cricket).

Irfan Pathan said, “The attack barely missed my eye and it could have damaged my eye. The match was discontinued for almost 10 minutes but the Indian team management didn’t escalate it. We yet praised their hospitality. I never talked about it. We thought it was important to maintain peace and then why pay so much attention to what one of the fans has done. I could have lost my eye. But I never discussed it,” Pathan could be heard saying.

He then added that Pakistan should stop making issues of crowd behaviour in India.

This comes days after some Pakistani social media trolls said that Ahmedabad was unfit to host an ICC World Cup match because the spectators did not exhibit sportsmanlike qualities and ‘criticized’ a few Pakistani players during the match with their chants and gestures. That being said, the image trolls on social media have created is not at all accurate.

Irfan Khan was talking about the India-Pakistan match in Peshawar in Pakistan on 6 February 2006. India had scored 328 runs in 49.4 overs, but when Pakistan was batting, the match was cut short by 3 overs due to bad light. Pakistan won the match by scoring 311 runs as per the Duckworth-Lewis method. During the Pakistani innings, the match was interrupted by unruly behaviour by the crowd. A record of the match by ESPNCricInfo shows that when Pakistan was at 179/1 after 30 over, there was a crowd interruption.

Sachin Tendulkar had scored 100 in the match, while Salman Butt had scored 101. Batting at 3rd, Irfan Pathan had made 65 runs after the early exit of Virender Sehwag. While Pathan didn’t take any wicket in his 10 overs of bowling, he had given just 52 runs in the high-scoring match.

Apart from the crowd interruption which included the attack on Irfan Pathan disclosed now, the match had also become controversial because Pakistani captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was declared out for ‘obstructing the field’, a provision rarely used. As he was declared out after the Indian team had appealed, Inzy had criticised the Rahul Dravid-led Indian team, saying the appeal was ‘unsportsmanlike’.

Fake videos were shared to establish anti-India agenda

On 14th October, India defeated Pakistan in the ICC World Cup match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, by 7 wickets. The match in Ahmedabad not only witnessed Pakistan’s batting breakdown and India’s all-around splendor, but it also ignited a debate about the crowd’s conduct at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

At the toss, Pakistan captain Babar Azam is said to have received a boo as he prepared to offer his appraisal of the toss and pitch conditions. Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s team director, then made an unusual statement during the post-match press conference following Pakistan’s defeat by India. He mentioned the lack of Pakistani fans and said that the match felt more like a BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) event than an ICC (International Cricket Council) one.

Also, a few days after the match some fake, edited videos appeared on social media which claimed that the crowd at the Ahmedabad stadium raised slogans like, “Jab Mulle Kaate Jayenge, Ram Ram Chillayenge”.

As reported earlier, the videos were being shared to spread violence among communities. BJP leader Tajinder Pall Singh Bagga took cognizance of the videos and demanded strict action against those who posted these videos. The video was later taken down from the social media platform.

Notably, a lot of ‘secular liberal’ Indian elites were upset after the crowd at Ahmedabad Narendra Modi stadium was seen providing overwhelming support to the Indian team. While support for local players is common, Indian ‘secular liberals’ were particularly upset because some fans were chanting Jai Shri Ram in the vicinity of Pakistani player Md Rizwan.

However, though slogans of Jai Shri Ram were raised in the stadium, the particular slogan “Mulle Kaate Jayenge” was never raised. The videos regarding the same have been deliberately shared on social media to create controversy and incite people against India.

The Indian team was heckled twice in the past

Beyond the confines of the game, India and Pakistan’s rivalry in cricket reflects political and historical tensions between the two bordering nations. Millions of supporters from both sides avidly watch and support their teams as they battle it out on the cricket pitch, turning the match into more than just a sporting event. That being said, nothing the Ahmedabad crowd did qualifies as heckling.

There are two events when the crowd is believed to be heckling. The first is when a cricket player is physically assaulted by fans and the second one is when the team has to face racial and derogatory screams in an already tough atmosphere during away matches.

There had in fact been a few other incidents of this like involving Indian players on the receiving end. During India’s 1989 tour to Pakistan, one such unfortunate event had an angry fan attacking and ripping the then-Indian captain Kris Srikkanth’s t-shirt. The security measures implemented by the Pakistani authorities then sparked a number of concerns regarding the safety of Indian players in Pakistan.

Also, during the 2021 Sydney Test, the Indian team was subjected to racist taunts. On the fourth and final day of the exciting encounter, Mohammed Siraj, a fast bowler, complained to the on-field umpires, causing play to be suspended for a few minutes. On Day 3, the same thing happened, and after an investigation by Cricket Australia and the police, the perpetrators were taken into custody.

Today, Irfan Pathan’s revelation about the nail attack on him by a Pakistani fan becomes the third of its kind incident when the Indian cricketers have been attacked by the fans in away matches.

‘Mahua Moitra stole my Henry’: Adv Dehadrai writes emotional letter to Delhi commissioner urging him to help him reunite with his pet dog

OpIndia Staff
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‘Mahua Moitra stole my Henry’: Adv Dehadrai writes emotional letter to Delhi commissioner urging him to help him reunite with his pet dog

The feud between TMC MP Mahua Moitra and her ‘jilted ex’ advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai has gotten murkier with the duo fighting over the custody of a dog. Three days after the TMC MP sent a legal notice to her former personal friend accusing him of stealing her dog, Dehadrai has now written to the Delhi police commissioner accusing Mahua Moitra of stealing and hiding his pet dog Henry.

In an emotional letter penned to the Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on October 19 (Thursday), Jai Anant Dehadrai alleged that Moitra deliberately kidnapped and hid his Rottweiler dog, Henry, with the intention to harass and blackmail him to avenge the complaint he had filed against her with the CBI, accusing Moitra of taking cash and gifts to ask specific questions in the Parliament.

In his written complaint, the emotional dog parent Jai Dehadrai provided documents to prove his legal ownership of Henry, which he purchased in January 2021 from a private shop in Delhi’s Janakpuri area. Dehadrai also included proof of purchase documentation for the Rottweiler breed dog. These documents comprised a payment receipt, a litter’s registration certificate, and details on the litter’s microchip.

His letter to Delhi CP read, “This is with reference to the theft and illegal retention of my three-year-old pet dog named Henry (Rottweiler breed) by Ms. Mahua Moitra, M.P., Lok Sabha, Resident of 9-B, Telegraph Lane, New Delhi – 110001,” under the subject line — “Complaint against Ms. Mahua Moitra, M.P., for Theft and Illegal Retention of my pet dog named Henry.”

Image source: The New Indian

Dehadrai also wrote, “My bond with my dog Henry is that of a parent and a child. I have looked after him since he was 40 days old, and I understand his every need and concern.”

Accusing Moitra of hiding his pet in retribution for his CBI complaint, Dehadrai added “Ms. Moitra has deliberately kidnapped and hidden Henry away from me since 10.10.2023, with the intent to harass, and blackmail me in response to the CBI Complaint dated 14.10.2023, which I have filed against her,” he wrote.

He then asked the police to safeguard his life and freedom as well as reunite him and his dog, Henry, “I would request you with folded hands and all humility that this dog Henry belongs with his rightful owner-parent. Time is of the essence, and I would beseech you to please reunite me with Henry at the earliest. Under such circumstances, I anticipate tremendous fear and threats to my life. I request you to please protect my life and liberty and help me get my dog Henry back,” he wrote in the letter.

Mahua Moitra accuses ‘jilted-ex’ advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai of stealing her dog

On October 16, OpIndia reported that the TMC MP had sent a legal notice to the BJP Lok Sabha MP and advocate and her formal personal friend Jai Anant Dehadrai and a host of media organisations for allegedly ‘defaming’ her.

The notice to the advocate and her former personal friend Jai Anant Dehadrai stated that they were once close friends but after a falling out, Dehadrai allegedly repeatedly threatened Moitra with several vile, malicious and vulgar messages, trespassed on her official residence, and stole personal belongings, including Moitra’s dog.

The legal notice was sent in response to the formal complaint submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla by Nishikant Dubey, seeking an inquiry against Mahua Moitra.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accuses Mahua Moitra of taking bribes in exchange for asking questions in Parliament

On 15th October, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha (MP) Nishikant Dubey levelled serious allegations against Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra, saying she took cash and gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani to ask specific questions in the Parliament. Dubey raised the allegations based on a letter written to him by advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai and submitted a formal complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla seeking an inquiry against Moitra and urged the Speaker for her immediate suspension.

OpIndia accessed a copy of the complaint filed by Adv Dehadrai that contained a list of items that Moitra allegedly got in exchange for asking questions in the Parliament. OpIndia documented what it found about the products and their costs.

US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar asks netizens to be responsible about sharing news after she was caught sharing fake news about the Gaza hospital attack

OpIndia Staff
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US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar asks netizens to be responsible about sharing news after she was caught sharing fake news about the Gaza hospital attack

On 18th October (local time), US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar asked netizens to be responsible for sharing news, apparently referring to various contradicting reports of the Israel-Hamas war. Her statement came after she was caught red-handed sharing fake news about the Gaza hospital attack. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote, “It is a reminder that information is often unreliable and disputed in the fog of war (especially on Twitter where misinformation is rampant). We all have a responsibility to ensure the information we are sharing is from credible sources and to acknowledge as new reports come in.”

Source: X

The post was in response to her earlier post, where she had accused the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) of bombing a hospital in Gaza. In her post, she tagged the President of the United States, Joe Biden and asked him to push for an immediate ceasefire in the area. Ilhan Omar wrote, “Bombing a hospital is among the gravest of war crimes. The IDF reportedly blowing up one of the few places the injured and wounded can seek medical treatment and shelter during a war is horrific. @POTUS needs to push for an immediate ceasefire to end this slaughter.”

Source: X

She was quoting a post by The Associated Press that contained the Gaza Health Ministry’s misleading statement that 500 people were killed in an explosion at a hospital. The ministry had accused Israel of the bombing.

Both Associated Press and Omar’s posts were fact-checked by the Community Notes users on X. The note read, “The US has collected “high confidence” intelligence showing that the explosion at a hospital compound in Gaza was caused by the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, not an Israeli strike”, with a link to Wall Street Journal’s report. The tagged report of WSJ mentioned that the preliminary evidence surrounding a fatal explosion at a hospital compound in Gaza suggested that Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PJI), the second largest terrorist organisation in Gaza, could be responsible.

It debunked the Palestinian claims that the explosion was an Israeli airstrike. Independent analysts who examined available images and videos of the incident found that the damage did not match typical Israeli weaponry, and the death toll seems inconsistent with the Palestinian Health Ministry’s claims. Now it has been generally accepted that it was a rocket fired from Gaza that malfunctioned and fell on the hospital instead of heading towards Israel. There are videos suggesting that the explosive rocket separated from the launcher very early inside the Gaza Strip, damaging the hospital.

The United States reportedly gathered intelligence suggesting that Palestinian Islamic Jihad had fired the failed rocket, which supported Israel’s allegations against the terror group. During his visit to Israel, President Biden said that he found Israel’s account more credible, based on information from the Defense Department.

Omar, who was caught sharing fake news, apparently tried to put the blame on the social media users for her mistake. She is known for her support of the Palestinian cause, and it appeared to have clouded her “judgment” to check the facts before jumping to accuse Israel of attacking a hospital in Gaza.

Rocket attack on hospital in Gaza

On 17th October, a rocket fell on the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza. The local media working in Gaza ran reports based on Hamas’ claims that it was an Israeli rocket and around 500 people died in it. International mainstream media followed suit and blamed Israel for the rocket attack. However, as more information came to light, it was clear that the hospital’s parking lot took the hit, and the hospital building was mostly intact. Furthermore, it was revealed that the rocket that fell on the hospital was not shot by Israel but by PIJ.

Israel Hamas war

On 19th October, the Israel-Hamas war entered its 12th day. The war started on 7th October after hundreds of Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel through various means, overwhelming the Iron Dome with over 5,000 rockets in a matter of few minutes. They also abducted hostages and took them to Gaza. In a counterattack on Hamas by Israeli forces, more than 1,500 have been reportedly killed in the Israel-Hamas war. The death toll in Israel from the Hamas attack has now surpassed 1,300, with over 3,300 injured, primarily civilians. Israel launched a major offensive against Hamas in Gaza, restricting power and water supply and blocking essential goods from entering the region. Over 400,000 Gaza residents have been evacuated so far. Meanwhile, India has launched Operation Ajay to evacuate Indians from Israel.

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