Category: National

General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, died today after a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu, killing 13 on board. One man is being treated for severe burns.

General Rawat’s wife, travelling with him, was also killed.

“With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident,” the Indian Air Force (IAF) tweeted.

The IAF had confirmed a little before 2 pm that an Mi-17 V5 helicopter with General Rawat on board had “met with an accident near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu”.

The Air Force also said it had ordered an Inquiry into what happened.

The helicopter crashed shortly after it took off from the Air Force base in Sulur at 11.45 am, Coimbatore, for Wellington in the Nilgiri Hills.

The General was heading to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.

It was making its descent and would have landed in 10 more minutes when it came down, barely 10 km from a road.

Videos showed steaming wreckage scattered on a hillside and rescuers struggling through smoke and fire to locate bodies. Charred bodies were pulled out from under mangled metal and fallen trees.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, briefed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, called a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) at his residence. The Defence Minister and Army Chief MM Naravane visited General Rawat’s home in Delhi long before the official announcement.

General Rawat, 63, took charge as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff in January 2019. The position was created to integrate the three services – the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

The Chief of Defence Staff is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and has to be the main military adviser to the Defence Minister besides giving impartial advice to the political leadership.

A former Army Chief, General Rawat was also appointed the head of the newly-created Department of Military Affairs.

The general joined the army as a second lieutenant in 1978 and had four decades of service behind him, having commanded forces in Jammu and Kashmir and along the Line of Actual Control bordering China.

Many former army chiefs expressed grief; they described the Mi-17 double engine chopper as a very stable aircraft used for VVIP flights.

2 Year old Video of a Himalayan Black Bear spotted at Yangang, South Sikkim in agressive behaviour, attacking a Sheep Shed.

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WHO warns Omicron variant poses ‘very high’ global risk could have ‘severe consequences’ in some places.

The heavily-mutated Omicron coronavirus variant is likely to spread internationally and poses a very high risk of infection surges that could have “severe consequences” in some places, the World Health Organization (WHO) says.

No Omicron-linked deaths had yet been reported, though further research is needed to assess its potential to escape protection against immunity induced by vaccines and previous infections, it added on Monday.

In anticipation of increased case numbers as the variant, first reported last week, spreads, the UN health agency urged its 194 member states to accelerate vaccination of high-priority groups and ensure plans were in place to maintain health services.

“Omicron has an unprecedented number of spike mutations, some of which are concerning for their potential impact on the trajectory of the pandemic,” the WHO said.

“The overall global risk related to the new variant … is assessed as very high.”

European countries clamp down on Omicron variant
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, sounded the alarm at the start of an assembly of health ministers on Monday that is expected to launch negotiations on an international agreement on preventing future pandemics.

“The emergence of the highly mutated Omicron variant underlines just how perilous and precarious our situation is,” Tedros said.

“Omicron demonstrates just why the world needs a new accord on pandemics: Our current system disincentivises countries from alerting others to threats that will inevitably land on their shores.”

The new global deal, expected by May 2024, would cover issues such as sharing of data and genome sequences of emerging viruses, and of any potential vaccines derived from research.

European Union member countries and others had sought language calling for work towards a treaty, but the United States and some other countries countered that the substance of any accord should be worked out first before any such document is given a name.

A “treaty” would suggest a legally binding agreement that could require ratification – and would likely incur domestic political haggling in some countries.

On Sunday, the United Kingdom’s ambassador in Geneva, Simon Manley, tweeted a copy of the draft text that was agreed by consensus – as required under WHO rules on such issues – and praised Chile and Australia for their work as co-chairs.

“The #Omicron variant shows yet again why we need a common understanding of how we prepare for and respond to pandemics, so we’re all playing by the same rules,” he wrote.

We’ve just reached consensus on this text: an important step towards a new global agreement on pandemic prevention, preparation & response. My thanks to our Chilean 🇨🇱 and Australian 🇦🇺 co-chairs for their tireless efforts

👉 https://t.co/jvIYl3mV3y#WHASpecial #PandemicTreaty pic.twitter.com/X6jbS9F9zO

— Simon Manley (@SimonManleyFCDO) November 28, 2021

COVID ‘is not done with us’

The draft makes no reference to the word “treaty” but, among other things, calls for the creation of an “intergovernmental negotiating body” among WHO member states to work out a possible deal to improve pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

The world should now be “wide awake” to the threat of the coronavirus, “but Omicron’s very emergence is another reminder that although many of us might think we are done with COVID-19, it’s not done with us,” Tedros said.

Omicron was first reported on November 24 in South Africa, where infections have risen steeply.

It has since spread to more than a dozen countries, many of which have imposed travel restrictions to try to seal themselves off. Japan on Monday joined Israel in saying it would close its borders to foreigners.

The WHO reiterated that, pending further advice, countries should use a “risk-based approach to adjust international travel measures in a timely manner”, while acknowledging that a rise in coronavirus cases might lead to higher morbidity and mortality rates.

“The impact on vulnerable populations would be substantial, particularly in countries with low vaccination coverage,” it added.

In vaccinated people, meanwhile, “COVID-19 cases and infections are expected … albeit in a small and predictable proportion”.

Overall, there were “considerable uncertainties in the magnitude of immune escape potential of Omicron”, and more data was expected in the coming weeks.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES | AL – JAZEERA

Two e-mails threatening to kill former Indian cricketer and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) MP Gautam Gambhir were sent from Pakistan , Delhi Police sources said on Thursday, ANI reported.

According to the sources, the account handler has been identified as Sahid Hamid. The BJP MP had said that he had received two death threats via e-mails within 24 hours from “ISIS Kashmir”, as per ANI.

“We are going to kill you and your family,” read the first threat e-mail received from ‘ISIS Kashmir’.

The second threat mail read, “We intended to kill you, but you survived yesterday. If you love the life of your family, stay away from politics and the Kashmir issue.

Following the threats, security has been beefed up outside Gambhir’s residence. The senior officials of Delhi Police have also informed that Gambhir’s complaint was marked to the Cyber Cell of the Special Cell to know the source of the mail.

Further investigation is underway.

A local court has extended the judicial remand of the three Kashmiri students, booked on the charges of sedition for allegedly sharing provocative posts on their social media account after Pakistan victory over India in a T-20 World Cup cricket match, till December 7, the Times Of India reported.

The Allahabad high court has, meanwhile, fixed December 10 as the next date of hearing into the students’ petition, seeking transfer of the case from Agra to Mathura.

The petition seeking transfer of the case was filed by Mathura-based lawyer Madhuvan Dutt Chaturvedi raising concerns over the “security” of his clients who were attacked on the court premises, earlier.

The trio, students at Raja Balwant Singh (RBS) Engineering Technical College under the Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme for J&K students, was arrested last month.

On October 26, they were booked under IPC sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505 (1)(B) (with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public), and 66-F (cyber terrorism, an offence that could lead to a life sentence) of the Information Technology Act for allegedly sending WhatsApp messages against the country. The next day, the sedition charge was added to the FIR lodged against them.

Security has been tightened outside Gautam Gambhir’s house in Delhi.

New Delhi : BJP MP Gautam Gambhir has alleged a death threat to him and his family from the terror group ISIS Kashmir in a police complaint filed in Delhi.
Security has been tightened outside his home in the national capital after the complaint was filed last night, and a probe has been ordered.

“Gautam Gambhir has received death threats from ISIS Kashmir through e-mail. Security has been beefed up outside his residence,” police officer Shweta Chauhan said.

Gautam Gambhir got the threat in an email
The 40-year-old cricketer-turned-politician, who represents East Delhi, said he got the email on Tuesday.

An FIR has been registered against actor Kangana Ranaut in Mumbai on Tuesday following a complaint by members of the Sikh community for allegedly using derogatory language against them on social media, PTI reported.

The FIR was filed by Amarjeet Singh Sandhu, a 47-year-old Mumbai-based businessman, along with leaders of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).
The complainants accused Ms Ranaut of “intentionally and deliberately” portraying the farmers’ protest (Kisan Morcha) as a “Khalistani” movement and calling the Sikh community “Khalistani terrorists”.

“Khalistani terrorists may be arm twisting the government today… But let’s not forget one woman… The only woman prime minister ne inn ko apni jooti ke neeche crush kiya tha (the only woman PM who crushed them under her shoes). No matter how much suffering she caused to this nation… she crushed them like mosquitoes at the cost of her own life… Lekin desh k tukde nahi hone diye (but she did not let the nation get divided),” the controversial actor had posted on Instagram recently.

The FIR was lodged at the suburban Khar police station a day after the complaint against the actor.

Ms Ranaut (34) was booked under section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and further investigation was underway, an official told PTI.

A delegation led by Mr Sirsa had met Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil and top officials of the Mumbai police and demanded action against Ms Ranaut.

In a recent episode of The Love Laugh Live Show, Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat opened up about her journey in showbiz. The actress made an appearance on the talk show hosted by Mandira Bedi earlier this week. The 45-year-old actress looked stunning in a red saree as she shared some anecdotes from her journey as an actor.

During one part of the show, Mandira asked Mallika, “There’s one producer who told you that he wanted to make a chapati on your belly or fry an egg on your waist.” As soon as she heard about the past incident, Mallika started laughing and even confirmed that it was indeed true.

Mallika then shared how the producer approached her and said, “Madam ek song sequence hai!” She then added, “in his warped thinking he was like it is a very ‘hot’ song.” Producer pitched the song idea to Mallika and said that the song will be a way to show the audience that she is literally “hot.” Quoting what the producer told Mallika, the actress said, “Aap itni hot hain ki aapli kamar pe main chapati sek sakta hun (You are so hot that I can cook chapati on your waist).”

Sharing her reaction to the song idea, Mallika described it as a “weird notion” and told Mandira, “Have you ever heard of anything like that?” Mandira also heaved a sigh as she reacted to Mallika’s story and said “needless to say it did not happen.” To which, Mallika said that at the time she had immediately refused to be a part of any such song and had told the producer, “I said no, we are not doing any such thing, no.”

Mallika also mentioned that at the time she also found the idea to be very funny and original nonetheless. Expressing her agreement with Mallika, Mandira said that she found the idea creative and “out of the box.”

Sukma, Nov 8: Four CRPF personnel were killed and three injured after their colleague shot them at a camp of the paramilitary force in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Monday, a police official said.

The incident occurred at around 3.30 am in the camp of CRPF’s 50th battalion in Lingampalli village of the district, around 400 km from the state capital Raipur, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said.

As per preliminary information, a jawan opened fire at his colleagues with his service weapon, an AK-47 rifle, the official said.

The jawan was immediately held and his interrogation is underway, he said.

The injured personnel have been admitted to a local hospital, the police official said.–(PTI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will continue to be a force to reckon with in Indian politics for decades to come, political strategist Prashant Kishor said during a visit to Goa. The head of the Indian Political Action Committee (IPAC), a poll consultancy firm, believes the BJP will have to be fought for “many decades”.

Kishor’s profile as a poll strategist shot up after he helped the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, retain power earlier this year by giving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP a rare snub in the state elections.

Prashant Kishor is now in Goa, assisting the TMC in finding a foothold to contest elections.

While predicting a strong presence for the BJP in the decades to come, Kishor hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he was probably under an illusion that it’s a matter of time until Modi’s power wanes.

“The BJP is going to be in the centre of Indian politics, whether they win, whether they lose – like it was for the first 40 years for the Congress. The BJP is going nowhere. Once you secure 30% vote at the India level, you are not going away in a hurry,” Prashant Kishore said.

“So do not ever get into this trap that people are getting angry and they will throw away Modi. Maybe they will throw away Modi, but the BJP is not going anywhere. You have to fight it out for the next many decades,” he said at an interaction hosted at the Museum of Goa.

“That is where the problem lies with Rahul Gandhi. Probably, he thinks that it is just a matter of time when people will throw him (Narendra Modi) away. That’s not happening,” Kishor said.

“Unless you examine, understand and take cognizance of his (Modi’s) strength, you will never be able to put [in place] a counter to defeat him,” Prashant Kishor said. “The problem that I see is that most people are not spending enough time on understanding his strengths, understanding what is making him popular. Only if you know, you can find a counter.”

On how the Congress party sees the future of Narendra Modi and the BJP, Kishor said, “You go and talk to any Congress leader or to any regional leader, they will say, ‘it’s just a matter of time, people are getting fed up, there will be an anti-incumbency [wave] and people will throw him off’. I doubt it. It’s not happening.”

The election strategist cited the example of how the Modi government announced massive increases in fuel prices without “any apparent discontent against the man (Modi)”.

Prashant Kishor pointed to a fragmented voter base in the country, saying, “If you look at the electorate level, it is a fight between one-third and two-third. Only one third people are voting for the BJP or wanting to support the BJP. The problem is that the two-third side is so fragmented that it is divided into 10, 12 or 15 political parties, and that is primarily because of the decline of the Congress.”

“It’s because the [support for] the Congress has gone down, that 65% has got fragmented, leading to a lot of individuals and smaller parties,” he said.

The IPAC has begun surveys on behalf of the TMC in Goa to help the party expand beyond Bengal. In Goa, the TMC has taken on board former Congressman Luizinho Faleiro to lead the party in elections.