Latest news with #English-speaking
Deccan Herald
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
50 years of Emergency and the Trump-ceasefire saga 2.0
Greetings readers, A slew of events unfolded in the political arena this week, with US President Donald Trump effortlessly taking the center stage. Forced by his habit of taking credits, Trump 'almost' took the credit for brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran too, after days of conflict. Back home, Shashi Tharoor and his English-speaking skills dominated the headlines, with the Congress leader praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi post Operation Sindoor. The praise is not sitting right with his party leadership and speculations have emerged of Tharoor looking for alternatives with his newly found 'wings'. So bear with us as we unpack each of the significant political developments one by one in this week's DH Political Theatre. A Nobel 'act'.After 12 days of air strikes on each other, and a cameo by the US–much like President Trump's cameos in several TV shows and movies prior to him stepping into politics, Iran and Israel finally agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday, albeit a fragile one. Trump first declared a ceasefire between the two West Asian nations, hours after Iran fired missiles at the US military base in Qatar on Monday night. Trump later berated both sides for violating the ceasefire he had announced. While Iran said it would respect the truce if Israel did, Israel said it had refrained from further in announcing it had agreed to Trump's plan, said it had achieved all its military prior to all this, Trump was probably just inches away from clinching the Nobel Peace Prize, when towing the lines of previous US Presidents, he decided to meddle in the Middle East and sent B-2 bombers to attack Iran's nuclear sites. While the damage incurred by Iran's nuclear dreams cannot be ascertained clearly, the damage to Trump's Nobel dreams is done and in his own words the award may once again end up in the hands of a 'liberal'. Emergency 50-50.'The biggest flaw of democracy is that you can't permanently take someone out of the picture. …What can you even call those High Court judges, who so promptly hand down verdicts against the government. They are all ungrateful.'The above excerpt from Urdu and Hindi author Rahi Masoom Raza's 1978 book Katra Bi Arzoo perfectly encapsulates the power of a democratic setup and why political leaders feel the need to trample upon it for extending their year marked the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, lesson that can be learned from the chapter of Emergency of Indian history is the perils of the occasion, Home Minister Amit Shah released a book titled The Emergency Diaries - Years that Forged a Leader, a compilation of Modi's experiences during the anti-Emergency book describes how 25-year-old Modi distributed many newspapers published secretly in markets, among students and women, reminiscent of the times when the prime minister was probably not aversive to press conferences its futile attempts to justifying the reasons for the imposition of Emergency, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a White Paper tabled in Parliament on July 21, 1975 saying the government had imposed Emergency to put democracy "back on the rails" and in the wake of activities of "fascist groups" in the country that crossed all permissible president Mallikarjun Kharge said an 'undeclared emergency' has been prevailing in the country for the last 11 years, an accusation which did not sit well with the BJP leaders.'Saffron'...gives you wings?.'Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours and the sky belongs to no one,' read a post on X by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sometime after party chief Mallikarjun Kharge expressed displeasure with the Thiruvananthapuram MP's praise for PM Modi. Tharoor, in an article published in a leading newspaper on Monday, said Modi's energy, dynamism and willingness to engage remained a "prime asset" for India on the global stage but deserved greater backing. The article has elevated the uneasiness in the relationship between the Congress leadership and Tharoor. Though Tharoor on Tuesday tried to clear the air around the issue and said that his article was not a sign of his "leaping to join" BJP and just a statement of national unity, it did not stop Congress leaders from questioning Tharoor's conduct since he was chosen to be part of an all-party delegation on Operation Sindoor. Congress' Manickam Tagore even warned his Lok Sabha colleague that free birds should be aware of 'hawks, vultures, and eagles' preying in the the 'free-spirited' Tharoor will stop by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Marg and are BJP leaders secretly taking English speaking lessons, is still unclear. Bypolls: A boost for AAP and Trinamool Congress retained their four sitting seats in the bypolls on Thursday while Congress snatched one held by a former Left-backed independent in Kerala, putting the ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front on the won its two sitting seats in Gujarat's Visavadar and Punjab's Ludhiana West while it was pushed a distant third in Gujarat's Kadi, where the BJP retained the seat. Trinamool Congress won the Kaliganj seat while in Kerala's Nilambur, Congress won with a convincing margin against the CPM. Buoyed by the victory, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal told reporters that if the bypolls were semi-finals to 2027 elections then there will be a 'typhoon in 2027.' No mention of Pahalgam in SCO document .Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday refused to sign the joint communique of the Shanghai Cooperation Organsation's defence ministers meeting as the document neither mentioned the dastardly Pahalgam terrorist attack nor took into account India's concerns on terror strikes emanating from Pakistan. Because of India's refusal, the SCO, which follows the principle of consensus, could not issue a joint statement after the two-day meeting at Qingdao, sending a strong message to Pakistan and its all-weather ally China, who are understood to be the main players behind making such a draft. Kanhaiya, the twelfth leader Kanhaiya Kumar accepted being "the twelfth man" in Bihar polls and said that he will contest the upcoming elections if the party tells him a cricketing analogy, Kumar said that just like batting, bowling, and fielding are responsibilities that have to be fulfilled on the cricket field, fighting polls is also a responsibility in politics."If the captain tells me to sit outside and deliver drinks for those at the crease, I will do that. And if the captain tells me to, I will also pad up and bat," Kumar said. He also said that there is no confusion or dispute in the 'Mahagathbandhan' over Tejashwi Yadav being the main face for the Bihar chief minister's post. That is all about the political drama that unfolded this week. DH Political Theatre will come back again next week with more political advancements from around the world. Exit Stage Left, DH Newsletters Team
Yomiuri Shimbun
11 hours ago
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Prince Takamado Speech Contest Final Slated for Nov. 28
The final for the 77th H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Inter-Middle School English Oratorical Contest will take place on Nov. 28 at the Yurakucho Yomiuri Hall in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. The contest is aimed at fostering global communication skills in young people. Twenty-seven finalists will deliver their original English speeches, with the winner taking home the H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy and other prizes. Finalists will be selected from among junior high school students during nationwide prefectural-level preliminaries in September and October. The semifinals will be Nov. 26-27 at the Akasaka Civic Hall in Tokyo's Minato Ward. Details can be found on Page 2 of today's paper. The annual contest is organized by The Yomiuri Shimbun and the Japan National Student Association Fund. It is supported by the Foreign Ministry; the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry; prefectural boards of education; and other entities. Junior high schoolers get ready for contest Junior high school students across Japan are preparing to compete in the 77th H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Inter-Middle School English Oratorical Contest. From the tremendous number of those who will compete in the prefectural-level preliminary rounds in September and October, 27 students will advance to the national final that takes place in Tokyo on Nov. 28. Five students each from Tokyo, Osaka, Kanagawa and Hokkaido prefectures; four each from Aichi and Fukuoka prefectures; and three from each of the nation's other prefectures will advance from the preliminaries to the semifinals, limited to one student per school. The semifinals will be held Nov. 26-27 in Tokyo. Participants will deliver an original five-minute speech in English on any theme. The winner will receive the H.I.H. Prince Takamado Trophy, with the runner-up taking home The Yomiuri Shimbun Trophy. The third-place student will receive the Japan National Student Association Fund Trophy, and The Japan News Trophy will go to fourth place. Fifth through seventh place will also be awarded trophies. The schools of the top three speakers will receive a one-year subscription to The Japan News. The competition is open to all students who are recommended by their school's principal, with the following exceptions: • Those who have lived in English-speaking countries or territories after their fifth birthday for a total of one year or more, or continuously for six months or more • Those who have attended an international school or other schools that provide education in English in subjects other than English language courses for six months or more • Those who live with a parent or relative who speaks English as their mother tongue at home or are natives of an English-speaking country or territory • Past first- to third-place winners of the contest TOSHIN HIGH SCHOOL is a special sponsor of the contest. Additional sponsors include Nippon Television Network Corp., Pentel Co. and World Family K.K. For more details, call the contest office at (03) 3217-8393, or visit its website .
CNBC
11 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
North American airlines targeted by cyberattacks
At least two North American airlines have been victims of criminal hackers recently as cybersecurity companies warn that a notorious cybercriminal group has been targeting the aviation industry. Westjet and Hawaii Airlines both said in June statements that they are responding to cyberattacks. American Airlines also experienced a tech issue on Friday, though it's unclear if it was related or caused in any way by hackers. "A technology issue is affecting connectivity for some of our systems and we are working with our partners to fully resolve the issue," an American Airlines spokesperson said in a statement. "Though we are experiencing delays as a result, we have not canceled any flights at this time." Cybersecurity companies that work directly with companies hit by hackers usually refrain from talking about specific victims, citing nondisclosure agreements. But both Google and Palo Alto Networks said Friday that they have observed a particularly effective cybercriminal group, nicknamed Scattered Spider by the cybersecurity industry, that tries to hack companies involved in aviation. Scattered Spider is a loosely affiliated group of young, mostly English-speaking men who are extremely adept at sweet-talking their way into sensitive computer access at large companies. From there, they often hand that access to outside cybercriminals who install ransomware — malicious software that locks up computers, rendering them inoperable — and then demand an extortion payment. The group has been tied to attacks on Las Vegas casinos in 2023 and British department stores earlier this year. After Google warned that Scattered Spider was targeting American retailers, a cyberattack hobbled a top Whole Foods supplier, leading to empty shelves across the country. Charles Carmakal, the chief technology officer of Mandiant, Google's cloud security company, said in an emailed statement that it was tracking "multiple incidents in the airline and transportation sector" where Scattered Spider had broken in. "We are still working on attribution and analysis, but given the habit of this actor to focus on a single sector we suggest that the industry take steps immediately to harden systems," he said. Details on the effects of the attacks on airlines are still sparse. A WestJet spokesperson told NBC News in an email that the company first noticed it had been hacked on June 13 and has made "significant progress" to resolve it. Hawaiian Airlines said in a Friday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it discovered on Monday that it had been hacked and that "Flights are currently operating safely and as scheduled." Neither company responded to questions about whether any flights had been canceled or delayed because of the attacks.
NBC News
16 hours ago
- Business
- NBC News
North American Airlines targeted by cyberattacks
At least two North American airlines have been victims of criminal hackers recently as cybersecurity companies warn that a notorious cybercriminal group has been targeting the aviation industry. Westjet and Hawaii airlines both said in June statements that they are responding to cyberattacks. American Airlines also experienced a tech issue on Friday, though it's unclear if it was related or caused in any way by hackers. 'A technology issue is affecting connectivity for some of our systems and we are working with our partners to fully resolve the issue,' an American Airlines spokesperson said in a statement. 'Though we are experiencing delays as a result, we have not canceled any flights at this time.' Cybersecurity companies that work directly with companies hit by hackers usually refrain from talking about specific victims, citing nondisclosure agreements. But both Google and Palo Alto Networks said Friday that they have observed a particularly effective cybercriminal group, nicknamed Scattered Spider by the cybersecurity industry, that tries to hack companies involved in aviation. Scattered Spider is a loosely affiliated group of young, mostly English-speaking men who are extremely adept at sweet-talking their way into sensitive computer access at large companies. From there, they often hand that access to outside cybercriminals who install ransomware — malicious software that locks up computers, rendering them inoperable — and then demand an extortion payment. The group has been tied to attacks on Las Vegas casinos in 2023 and British department stores earlier this year. After Google warned that Scattered Spider was targeting American retailers, a cyberattack hobbled a top Whole Foods supplier, leading to empty shelves across the country. Charles Carmakal, the chief technology officer of Mandiant, Google's cloud security company, said in an emailed statement that it was tracking 'multiple incidents in the airline and transportation sector' where Scattered Spider had broken in. 'We are still working on attribution and analysis, but given the habit of this actor to focus on a single sector we suggest that the industry take steps immediately to harden systems,' he said. Details on the effects of the attacks on airlines are still sparse. A WestJet spokesperson told NBC News in an email that the company first noticed it had been hacked on June 13 and has made 'significant progress' to resolve it. Hawaiian Airlines said in a Friday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it discovered on Monday that it had been hacked and that 'Flights are currently operating safely and as scheduled.'
UPI
18 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
Poll: Nearly 25% of Americans have deportation fears for friends, family
1 of 3 | Just under a quarter of those surveyed worry they or someone they know in the United States could be deported, according to a new poll published Friday. File Photo by Derek French/UPI | License Photo June 27 (UPI) -- Just under a quarter of those surveyed worry they or someone they know in the United States could be deported, according to a new poll published Friday. The Pew Research Center poll found 23% of American adults worried about the issue, up from 19% during the firm's last survey in March. That fear of deportation is stronger among immigrants polled rather than people born in the United States. The survey found 43% of adult immigrants are worried about deportations, up from 33% in the March poll, while 34% of U.S.-born citizens feel the same way, an increase from 17% three months ago. American citizens polled in that category have at least one parent who is a first-generation immigrant to the United state. The Washington, D.C.-based non-profit research center conducted the survey between June 2 and 8. Overall, more people who identified as Democrats (32%), both U.S. citizens and immigrants were worried about someone they know being deported than Republicans (8%), according to the poll. Fears about deportations have been stoked since President Donald Trump in March gave the green light to large-scale raids and detentions carried out by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it will allow the Trump administration to deport convicted criminals to "third countries," even without a connection to that nation. Among racial and ethnic groups, more Latino respondents to the survey were worried about being affected by deportation than any other group. Around half (47%) of those surveyed expressed concerns about themselves, a close friend or a family member being deported. The figure is up from 42% in March. English-speaking Asian adults (29%) and Black adults (26%) were the next largest groups of people with the same concern.
