UK, France, and 23 other nations slam Israel over 'inhumane killing' of civilians
The joint statement called the situation "horrifying" and said Israel's actions are denying Palestinians access to essential humanitarian assistance. It also urged Israel to lift restrictions and allow aid agencies, including the UN, to operate safely.ISRAEL BLAMES HAMAS FOR THE CRISISIn response, Israel's foreign ministry rejected the claims. Officials called the international statement "disconnected from reality" and said it would only encourage Hamas."The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognise Hamas's role and responsibility for the situation," the Israeli government said.Israel has repeatedly claimed that aid sent through the UN system has been stolen by Hamas fighters. However, Hamas has denied this allegation. Instead, Israel and the US have turned to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which uses private American companies to transport supplies, mostly bypassing UN channels.The United Nations has spoken out against this model, saying it compromises humanitarian neutrality and puts civilians at greater risk. But the GHF insists it is doing its best to get aid to people in need.The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants entered southern Israel, killed around 1,200 people, and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli data. Since then, Israel's military campaign has devastated the Gaza. Health authorities in the region say over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed so far.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersMust Watch
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Mint
28 minutes ago
- Mint
Iran refuses to abandon uranium enrichment after Israel-Iran war, cites ‘national pride'
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said Tehran cannot abandon its uranium enrichment program despite serious damage to its nuclear infrastructure following the recent Israel-Iran war. Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Araghchi described enrichment as a core achievement and a matter of national pride. 'It is stopped because, yes, damages are serious and severe. But obviously we cannot give up enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists,' Araghchi said. 'And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride.' While acknowledging the extensive destruction of Iranian nuclear facilities from US and Israeli strikes, Araghchi emphasised Iran's continued capacity to pursue enrichment. 'The technology is there. The scientists are there. The people who have run these facilities are there,' he said. 'Buildings can be rebuilt. Facilities can be rebuilt. Machines can be replaced.' When asked about Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, Araghchi said he had 'no detailed information' on whether it was destroyed in the attacks. Araghchi firmly rejected any demand from the United States to curtail Iran's missile program or to halt its support for regional armed groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. 'They are fighting for a just cause, and we have always supported them,' he said. 'On our missiles… that is our most reliable means of defense. How can we disarm ourselves? Who can [Iran] accept anything like that? So, we will never disarm ourselves.' While ruling out direct dialogue 'for the time being,' Araghchi said Tehran remains open to talks with Washington. Prior to the recent war, the two sides had held five rounds of nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman, but failed to agree on limits to enrichment. 'If the goal is to make sure that Iran will never have nuclear weapons, that is achievable,' he said. 'But if the goal is to deprive Iran from its rights, including the right of enrichment, I think we have difficulty.' The 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June began with Israeli airstrikes on June 13, prompting retaliation from Tehran and subsequent US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. A ceasefire was reached in late June. Despite the destruction, Araghchi claimed the conflict proved that military action cannot halt Iran's nuclear ambitions. 'I think the recent attack proved that there is no military option for our nuclear program.' Iran remains a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The UN nuclear watchdog has said it has 'no credible indication' of an active weapons program in Iran. Tehran insists its nuclear efforts are exclusively for civilian use. Israel, widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, has said its goal is to prevent Iran from ever acquiring one.
India Today
40 minutes ago
- India Today
How Martyrs' Day marked Mamata's rallying cry to defeat BJP in Bengal and beyond
Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee, in a powerful address at her party's flagship Martyrs' Day rally on July 21 in Kolkata, launched a combative attack on the BJP-led central government, accusing it of orchestrating a 'voter deletion' conspiracy to disenfranchise Bengali-speaking of a massive public uprising if such attempts were carried out in West Bengal, the chief minister alleged that the BJP had already removed over 4 million names in Bihar and now sought to replicate the exercise in her state. 'If you try that in Bengal, we will launch a gherao movement and a massive protest,' Mamata charged from the rally stage in the city's Dharmatala. 'We will not allow you to strike off names and push people into detention camps.'advertisementAccompanied by a thunderous applause from the crowd, Mamata declared the launch of 'Bhasha Andolan'—a campaign to defend Bangla language and identity. Beginning July 27, she announced, TMC workers will be holding weekend rallies and meetings to protest against what she described as the systemic targeting of Bengali-speaking people and mistreatment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in other states. 'If any migrant worker or their family says they are in trouble, stand by them and inform us,' Mamata urged party Martyrs' Day every year, the TMC commemorates the death of 13 people in police firing on July 21, 1993 during a protest being led by Mamata, then in the Congress. This year's rally, Mamata noted, witnessed a diverse gathering from all tiers of the party, including MPs, MLAs, grassroots leaders, panchayat members, families of martyrs—parents of Bitan Adhikari, who was killed in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Jhantu Ali Sheikh, an Indian Army soldier killed in a counterterror operation in Jammu and Kashmir—and over 35 prominent sports the gathering was Uttam Kumar Brajabasi, a Rajbanshi man from Cooch Behar who, despite residing in Bengal for five decades, had received a National Register of Citizens (NRC)-related notice from the Assam government. 'What right does the BJP have to do this?' Mamata asked, claiming persecution of the Matua invoked the killing of 13 protesters during the July 21, 1993 voter ID agitation and portrayed that struggle as a landmark victory for democracy. 'No ID, no vote—that was our call. Democracy won that day. But this struggle is not over,' she declared. 'We will continue until we change Delhi and give the BJP a political farewell.'Mamata alleged the Election Commission (EC) and the Narendra Modi government were working in tandem to systematically delete voters, especially Bengali speakers, under the guise of countering illegal immigration. She cited a recent notification directing states to set up holding centres for alleged illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar, calling it a move to intimidate people and erase their questioned the motive of the Union home ministry letter dated July 11, which instructs states to coordinate with central forces for voter verification. 'Why do we need central forces? The state police will work here. Guard your own borders, manage Kashmir first. If you think you can send people to jail for speaking Bengali, we are ready to die—but we won't let this happen,' she said. The chief minister also ridiculed the BJP's claim that 1.7 million Rohingyas reside in Bengal, countering it with UN figures and accusing the party of fabricating data to instill her government's performance, she listed a series of welfare schemes, including Khadya Sathi (free ration for 90 million people), Swasthya Sathi (health cards for every family), and Karmashree (employment for 7.7 million job card holders). She claimed that despite the Centre's decision to withhold MGNREGA funds, her government had created 830 million workdays Banglar Bari, 4.5 million homes had been built, she said, and another 1.6 million would be delivered by December. She cited schemes such as Shikshashree, Medhashree, Joy Johar and Tapasili Bandhu, and said her government had issued hundreds of thousands of land titles and constructed housing for minorities, tea garden workers and the urban allegations of youth migration due to unemployment, Mamata cited government data to argue that while 1.71 million people had left India between 2014 and 2025, no industrialist had left Bengal. 'In fact, they are coming because Bengal is doing well,' she accused the BJP of trying to appropriate Bengali culture and religious practices. 'You used to say we don't allow Durga Puja or Saraswati Puja. Now suddenly, you've remembered Ma Durga,' she said. Defending Bengal's pluralism, she added: 'We celebrate Christmas, Eid and all festivals. We respect all languages. Why then are you attacking Bengali? You think you can win hearts by speaking two words in Bengali from a teleprompter?'Pledging to escalate the resistance, Mamata called on TMC supporters to organise marches, meetings and sit-ins every weekend. 'Even if we are jailed, we will rise again as saplings and spread our roots in Delhi. You cannot stop us,' she said. And in a rallying cry for the assembly elections next year, she said, 'This time, we must win more seats. After that, Delhi will be our battlefield. The BJP must go. The people of Bengal will fight for their identity, for their language, and for justice.'Mamata's nephew and TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee accused the BJP of suppressing democratic rights and denigrating Bengali culture. He hailed Mamata as a leader who had restored democracy in Bengal and said the highest-ever turnout at this year's Martyrs' Day rally was a testament to the Trinamool's growing strength, not in money or media power but grassroots the 2024 Brigade Cholo rally, Abhishek said it showcased Trinamool's unmatched organisational capacity. He accused the BJP of vandalising the bust of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, mocking Rabindranath Tagore and insulting Bengal's culture. 'The BJP has only one identity—Bangla-Birodhi (anti-Bengal),' he declared. 'Is it our crime to speak in Bengali? The more we speak in Bengali, the more they get irritated. Be proud to speak in Bengali.'Highlighting the BJP's shifting cultural posture, Abhishek claimed the party had been forced to abandon its chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' for 'Joi Ma Kali' and 'Joi Ma Durga' in Bengal. 'Mark my words,' he said, 'in just 10 months, I will make them say Joi Bangla after the 2026 elections.'Abhishek challenged Prime Minister Modi, Home minister Amit Shah and BJP president J.P. Nadda to explain why no action had been taken against Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly calling Bengali speakers 'Bangladeshi'. 'They're already cutting water and power in Jai Hind Colony in Delhi and attacking Bengalis elsewhere,' he alleged, adding that the TMC would resist any attempt to tamper with voter rolls and take to the streets if the EC and Enforcement Directorate as the BJP's twin instruments of suppression, Abhishek said they were being used to target Opposition leaders and disenfranchise citizens. 'But this land belongs to us. The certificate of citizenship will not be handed out by the PM or EC,' he said. Stressing on Bengal's inclusive ethos, he said non-Bengalis live peacefully in the state because it believes in unity in diversity. 'Those who play with fire will burn themselves,' he ended with a pledge: 'Let's see how much power they have. They want to send the people of Bengal to detention camps. We will put the BJP in a detention camp democratically in 2026.' His final words: 'Even if they slash our throats, we will say Joi Bangla and Trinamool Congress zindabad.'Subscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
India Today
42 minutes ago
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As power-sharing demand gets shriller, is Tamil Nadu set for a new phase of coalitions?
As Tamil Nadu heads for assembly elections next year, a new political demand is surfacing from allies of both major Dravidian parties. This time, it is not just about a share of seats but a share in decades, electoral alliances in the state have largely ended at seat-sharing. Now, that boundary is being tested as calls grow louder for coalition governance and administrative phrase that has come to define this aspiration—'a share in governance a share in authority'—was first articulated last year by the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a key ally of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Leader after leader in the VCK had framed it as an ideological demand. Since then, the idea has assumed political weight, forcing even the rival AIADMK (All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) to his party's Kallakurichi conference last year, actor-politician Vijay had declared that allies joining his Thamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) for the 2026 polls would receive 'a share in governance and authority' if the coalition formed the government. Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss and Premalatha Vijayakanth of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) have also called for a share in power from alliance partners. Both parties are widely expected to be part of the AIADMK-led question now: Is Tamil Nadu ready for such a transformation politically and culturally? For decades, the state's political imagination has been shaped by strong, singular leadership. Even when allies played a crucial role in electoral victories, they were rarely given ministerial roles or meaningful responsibilities in governance. That legacy is now under a recent interview to the Tamil media, Congress leader Trichy Velusamy declared: 'A coalition government will form in Tamil Nadu, and two Congress leaders will become ministers.' He backed it up with history, saying: 'Coalition governments are not new to Tamil Nadu. The state was the first in independent India to experiment with coalition governance. After the 1952 elections, the Congress allied with smaller parties, such as those led by Manickavel Naicker and Ramasamy Padayachi, who had just six MLAs between them, and offered them ministerial berths. Only then did C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) assume office as chief minister. In that sense, Tamil Nadu introduced coalition governance to India.'Velusamy also had a word of caution for the DMK. 'In a democracy, there is no big or small party. Anyone can win, anyone can lose. In 1971, the DMK won 134 seats. In 1991, it won just one. The reality is this: without allies like Congress, the communists, and VCK, the DMK cannot come to power. Without them, it can only sit in the Opposition,' he VCK, for its part, has long been vocal about the limitations of the current model. Thol. Thirumavalavan has consistently argued that sharing administrative responsibility will lead to more inclusive governance and deepen democratic the battle over coalition governance is perhaps fiercest within the AIADMK front. The party, still reeling from its 2021 assembly election defeat, is caught between the need to retain allies and the fear of conceding too much ground. The BJP and PMK, crucial for electoral math, are now expected to drive a much harder bargain—not just better seat deals but a real share in home minister Amit Shah has repeatedly said there will be a coalition government in Tamil Nadu if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) wins the election—a demand consistently pushed back by the AIADMK. In fact, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami said that 'they were not fools to form a coalition government'—a remark not taken kindly by several BJP state president Nainar Nagendran later said he had spoken to Palaniswami over the phone. He clarified that the remark was aimed at countering the DMK's claim that the BJP would swallow the AIADMK, and that there was no hidden BJP state president K. Annamalai responded sharply: 'The BJP won't cheat anyone nor will it allow itself to be cheated.' He added that he had done nothing to harm the alliance.'The AIADMK can't afford to alienate its allies and at the same time cannot afford to hand over control,' said a political analyst. This contradiction is especially acute given the BJP central leadership's ambition to grow roots in southern DMK, for now, appears more stable. Its leadership remains consolidated, welfare schemes have struck a chord with the electorate, and its alliance is largely bigger challenge is cultural. Tamil Nadu's political landscape has long idolised the leader as ideologue, administrator and icon. Observers say the needs and demands of coalition governance are entirely different and call for a shift from personality-driven politics to a power-sharing the momentum is unmistakable. From the VCK and Congress to the BJP and PMK, parties that have largely played the role of minor alliance partners are articulating a shared vision of participatory governance. Whether rooted in ideology or driven by electoral compulsions, the demand for coalition governance now has a vocabulary, and perhaps growing political legitimacy. The next few months will determine whether this is merely a tactical bargaining tool or the beginning of a deeper transformation in Tamil Nadu's political to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
