
IDF Moves Into Deir Al-Balah Where 'Hostages Are Held', Families Blast Israel's "Aimless" Gaza War

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New Indian Express
34 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
'Gaza is dying, we are dying with it': AFP, Al Jazeera says its journalists in Gaza could die of hunger
"We can't even reach coverage sites because we have no energy left due to hunger and lack of food," AFP quoted its reporter, Bashar Taleb as saying. "I've had to stop working multiple times just to search for food for my family and loved ones," he said. "I feel for the first time utterly defeated emotionally," the 35-year-old photojournalist who was shortlisted for the prestigious Pulitzer Prize earlier this year said. "I've tried so much, knocked on many doors to save my family from starvation, constant displacement and persistent fear but so far to no avail," he said. Another Pulitzer nominee, Omar al-Qattaa, 35, is staying in the remains of his wife's family's home after his own apartment was destroyed. "I'm exhausted from carrying heavy cameras on my shoulders and walking long distances... We can't even reach coverage sites because we have no energy left due to hunger and lack of food," he said. Calling for action against Israel's targeting of journalists, Al Jazeera said in its statement, "We owe it to the courageous journalists in Gaza to amplify their voices and put an end to the unbearable suffering they are enduring due to forced starvation and targeted killings by Israeli occupation forces." "The journalistic community and the world bear an immense responsibility; it is our duty to raise our voices and mobilise all available means to support our colleagues in this noble profession. If we fail to act now, we risk a future where there may be no one left to tell our stories. Our inaction will be recorded in history as a monumental failure to protect our fellow journalists and a betrayal of the principles that every journalist strives to uphold," it added. As many as 111 human rights groups have called for action against Israel and warned of more deaths from the mass starvation caused by Israel's continuous blockade of humanitarian aid into the territory. A statement with 111 signatories, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam, warned that "our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away." "Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions," the signatories said. "It is not just physical torment, but psychological. Survival is dangled like a mirage," they added. "The humanitarian system cannot run on false promises. Humanitarians cannot operate on shifting timelines or wait for political commitments that fail to deliver access," they stressed. Calling on Israel to allow the entry of crucial aid into Gaza, UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said tons of supplies are packed and waiting for the green light in its warehouses across the border as Palestinians are dying of hunger and diseases. "Thousands of hygiene kits are packed and ready in UNRWA warehouses in Jordan and Egypt, just waiting for the green light. Open the gates. Let aid in," UNRWA said in a social media post. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said that the "horror" Palestinians are facing in Gaza is unprecedented in recent years. "We need look no further than the horror show in Gaza -- with a level of death and destruction without parallel in recent times," he said in a speech. Guterres said ramped-up Israeli operations meant "devastation is being layered upon devastation," with the humanitarian system in its "last gasp." Meanwhile, Israel on Wednesday killed at least 41 Palestinians including 10 people who were waiting for food near the aid distribution sites of US-backed and Israeli military-operated Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). According to the UN, Israel has killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food since the GHF started operations in late May. Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has so far killed at least 59,000 Palestinians, more than half of it being women and children. It has also killed over 200 journalists and at least 1000 health care workers and aid workers. (With inputs from AFP)


Indian Express
34 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Israeli ambassador urges MCD to participate in its global tenders for infra projects
Amid the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, in a meeting with Israeli ambassador to India Reuven Azar on Wednesday, stressed that India stands with Israel 'during these difficult times'. The countries share a 'strong relationship based on friendship, cooperation, and mutual respect', Singh said as Azar paid a visit to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The meeting, which went on for around an hour, was also attended by MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar. Deputy Mayor Jai Bhagwan Yadav, Leader of the House Pravesh Verma, Standing Committee Vice Chairperson Sundar Singh, additional commissioners, and other senior civic officials. At the meeting, discussions were held on improving civic services related to health, education, parks, solid waste management and others with the help of Israel's expertise. 'With Israel being a technologically advanced country, this kind of exchange of ideas and experiences will further strengthen the functioning of the corporation,' said Kumar. 'The ambassador asked us to participate in the global tenders they would issue for infrastructure projects in Israel, as they need manpower post the destruction caused by the war,' Singh said. After the meeting, Singh posted on X, 'Had a fruitful meeting with the Ambassador of Israel and his delegation on key municipal and civic issues such as waste management, urban planning, and innovation in public services.' After the meeting, civic officials said, Azar appreciated Delhi's cultural heritage and civic infrastructure, and extended an invitation to the Mayor to visit Israel to witness its advanced technology and innovations.
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Ghaziabad fake embassy scandal: Westarctica and the world of micronations
A 45-year-old man in Ghaziabad was pulling off a unique scam by pretending to be the 'ambassador' of Westarctica, an unrecognised micronation in Antarctica. A raid by the Uttar Pradesh Police at the house he claimed was the official embassy busted his con. The case has put the spotlight on micronations. What are they? read more A man has been arrested in Ghaziabad for running a fake embassy and conning people. News18 The Uttar Pradesh Police have busted a fake embassy in Ghaziabad. A 45-year-old man, identified as Harsh Vardhan Jain, was allegedly running a scam from a two-storey house in Kavi Nagar, claiming to be the 'ambassador' of Westarctica, an unrecognised micronation in Antarctica. According to the Noida unit of the Uttar Pradesh Police Special Task Force (STF), the man conned people using forged Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) documents and promises of international deals. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While his embassy was not real, Westarctica is. The incident has brought micronations to the limelight. But what are these? We will explain. What are micronations? Micronations are 'wannabe' states whose representatives claim to belong to an independent nation or sovereign state. However, these political entities are neither recognised by any sovereign state nor under international law. The 'rulers' or founders of these micronations are motivated by philosophical experiment, political protest, entertainment or artistic expression, and sometimes by criminal activity. A lack of legal basis has, however, not stopped these micronations from creating their own coins, postage stamps, national anthems, flags and even passports. Dozens of micronations have emerged since the 1960s. American writer Leicester Hemingway founded New Atlantis in 1964 by constructing a bamboo raft with steel, iron piping, and rock, six miles off the coast of Jamaica. He claimed it was an island with full sovereignty. The raft was ultimately destroyed by a cyclone. There are micronations that still exist, such as the Principality of Sealand. It is an offshore platform in the North Sea used by the British military during World War II. Paddy Roy Bates, a former soldier, took up HM Fort Roughs in 1967 and later declared its independence. He later named it the Principality of Sealand, with its own flag, money, national anthem, stamps and football team. Australia has many micronations, with its first being the Principality of Hutt River founded in 1970. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Republic of Lamb is an island off the coast of Scotland purchased by popular spoon bender and legendary 'psychic' Uri Geller. He offers citizenship, with all proceeds going to Save a Child's Heart, an Israeli charity which treats children with heart conditions globally. In a picture taken on May 27, 2010 Emperor George II of Atlantium, a micronation, displays the 25 imperial solidi note featuring a portrait of himself (top) in Sydney. File Photo/AFP Another micronation is the Republic of Minerva, an artificial island built over disputed coral reefs between the Pacific island nations of Fiji and Tonga. The Royal Republic of Ladonia was created in 1986 by artist Lars Vilks to protest local authorities in southern Sweden's Kullaberg, who deemed the two large sculptures he built in an inaccessible nature reserve illegal. Ladonia, which is ruled by Queen Carolyn, promotes freedom of expression, art and creativity. Kailasa, the so-called country founded by self-styled godman Nithyananda, who is wanted in India for rape and abduction, is also a micronation. Nithyananda purchased an island off the coast of Ecuador, which he claims as 'Kailasa', as per BBC. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How serious are micronations? The creators or founders of these mock nations know these entities are not 'real'. But they still have fun and sometimes use the opportunity to protest. 'They are very serious about this. Pretending to be a king or a president takes a lot of effort. I think the psychological strength you need to do this constantly when no one recognises you must be quite difficult. But generally speaking, it is for fun. A lot of them also do it as a way to build a community,' Harry Hobbs, co-author of How to Rule Your Own Country: The Weird and Wonderful World of Micronations, told Forbes in 2023. He added: 'I think the best ones are really designed for a clear political purpose. There's the famous Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands. They seceded from Australia to protest legislation banning same-sex marriage and formed a gay and lesbian kingdom. They sailed to an island in the Great Barrier Reef, planted a flag, and set up a country.' However, pretending to rule a sovereign state is not fun when reality hits. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 2002, Vilks received applications from migrants and refugees from across the globe for citizenship, believing Ladonia to be a real country. The Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands also got letters from queer people in other country who needed asylum. Ghaziabad man's con as 'ambassador' of many micronations The UP STF has arrested Harsh Vardhan Jain after a raid for running a fake embassy in Ghaziabad. The man converted a house in Kavi Nagar, surrounding it with high-end cars, and claimed it to be the official embassy of Westarctica. The Grand Duchy of Westarctica is a 620,000-square-mile tract of land in western Antarctica. It has its 'royal head of state' — the Grand Duke Travis, a flag, currency, and over 2,500 'citizens'. 'Jain claimed to be the consul or ambassador of Westarctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Ladonia — none of which are recognised as sovereign nations," SSP Sushil Ghule, who led the STF raid, told the media. 'He used diplomatic insignias and paraphernalia to create an illusion of official legitimacy," he added. UP Police busts fake '#Westarctica' #embassy in Ghaziabad! A man posing as a diplomat arrested in a bizarre international scam@_anshuls brings you the ground report#Ghaziabad | @Poonam_Burde — News18 (@CNNnews18) July 23, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Jain morphed photographs of himself with world leaders, including prime ministers and presidents, and used credentials with forged seals of the MEA. 'He used the guise of diplomacy to influence businessmen, promise them access to international markets, and run a hawala network through shell companies,' the UP police said in its statement. The fake embassy helped Jain scam people seeking foreign investment or work permits, as per the police. Jain is alleged to have pocketed large sums from private individuals and companies, promising them special diplomatic permissions or international licenses. The UP STF seized Rs 44.7 lakh in cash, foreign currency from several countries, and four high-end luxury vehicles, all bearing fake diplomatic number plates. Forged diplomatic passports and MEA seals were also recovered. With inputs from agencies