‘Suspect got tourist visa under…': Leavitt criticises Biden admin after Boulder attack on protesters
The White House condemned the violent attack in Boulder, Colorado, where a man threw incendiary devices at protesters demanding the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Eight people were injured, some seriously. The suspect, now in custody, received a tourist visa under the Biden administration, drawing sharp criticism from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The Trump administration vows zero tolerance for violence, especially against the Jewish community, amid rising tensions. Show more
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Business Standard
5 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Court to hear Tahawwur Rana's 26/11 plea for family contact on 9 June
Tahawwur Rana, accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case and extradited from the US, seeks court approval to communicate with family while in judicial custody New Delhi A Delhi court is scheduled to hear on June 9 a plea filed by Tahawwur Hussain Rana, accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, seeking permission to communicate with his family members. Rana, a 64-year-old Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently in judicial custody following his extradition from the United States. He is alleged to have conspired with David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen and key conspirator in the attacks, along with operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami, and other Pakistan-based individuals. Rana was brought to India after the US Supreme Court on April 4 dismissed his plea challenging the extradition. On Wednesday, Special Judge Chander Jit Singh took on record the reply submitted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and directed the jail authorities to file their response. The court also permitted Tihar Jail officials to respond based on the NIA's submission. Details of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks The 26/11 attacks were carried out by 10 armed men from Pakistan who entered Mumbai via the sea route on November 26, 2008. The attackers targeted several locations, including a railway station, two hotels, and a Jewish Chabad house, resulting in 166 deaths over a nearly 60-hour-long siege. Only one of the attackers, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive. He was executed on November 21, 2012, after exhausting all legal remedies. Legal representation and court proceedings Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan and Special Public Prosecutor Narender Mann are representing the NIA in the case.
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First Post
13 minutes ago
- First Post
How Gaza's food relief centres have turned into death traps
A US- and Israel-backed aid system in Gaza, meant to ease starvation, has become a new source of horror. At least 80 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured near aid hubs, with witnesses blaming Israeli gunfire read more Recent aid distribution operations in southern Gaza have been marred by near-daily shootings that have claimed the lives of at least 80 Palestinians and left hundreds injured, according to officials at multiple hospitals in the enclave. The violence is unfolding around new humanitarian aid centres established by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group backed by the United States and Israel and made up largely of American contractors. Eyewitnesses say that in multiple incidents, crowds walking toward the aid centres were met with gunfire from nearby Israeli troops. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These shootings have occurred as large groups of Palestinians, facing dire food shortages and near-famine conditions, travel on foot in the predawn hours to access food distributions. GHF began operating on May 26, after a nearly three-month Israeli blockade had brought aid delivery to a near halt. With traditional humanitarian corridors shut down or restricted, the population of over two million has increasingly been forced into high-risk zones to obtain basic food supplies. Hospital sources, including those at the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah and the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, confirm that the overwhelming majority of injuries are from gunshot wounds. Many victims have been children and women, and hospital staff report overflowing morgues and patients filling not only every bed, but also the floors. In one facility, an aid worker described numerous patients with wounds to their legs and buttocks, noting that the scale of the carnage has pushed the hospital beyond capacity, reported AP. The most lethal incidents have been concentrated around a traffic circle known as the Flag Roundabout in Rafah, roughly one kilometre northwest of GHF's Tel al-Sultan aid hub. The distribution centre is located within proximity of an Israeli military base. Witnesses recount that on Sunday and again on Tuesday of the same week, Israeli troops began shooting into the crowd around 3 to 4 am. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Thousands had gathered in the darkness to secure food when, according to three individuals present, gunfire erupted from tanks, drones and ground forces. Mohammed Ahmed, a Palestinian who had arrived early in the hope of collecting aid, told AP, 'They may have opened fire because they felt threatened by the thousands of people in the area.' He and other witnesses noted that there were no visible provocations or attacks from the crowd before the Israeli forces fired. How Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's aid model works The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was launched as an alternative to the United Nations-led system that had previously handled aid distribution in Gaza. According to the Israeli government, the change was needed due to alleged diversions of supplies by Hamas. However, international aid organisations and the UN itself have firmly denied significant interference by Hamas, arguing that the prior system functioned with far greater efficiency and neutrality. GHF's approach centralises aid into fixed distribution sites, each located within military zones and secured by armed contractors. At present, three such hubs are operational: one in central Gaza and two near the deserted outskirts of Rafah in the far south. Not all hubs operate daily, and access routes to them are tightly controlled. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Palestinians seeking food must walk several kilometers to reach these sites, using a single designated road patrolled by Israeli forces. GHF has publicly warned civilians to remain on this route, cautioning that straying from it 'represents a great danger.' Food boxes are typically distributed starting at 5 am, but many Palestinians set out hours earlier to avoid being turned away empty-handed. This results in thousands of people converging in darkness, passing through military checkpoints and near troop encampments. When aid sites open, food parcels are left on pallets within fenced-off enclosures. A video shared by GHF shows a frenzied rush, with crowds sprinting toward the supplies. Witnesses say that individuals often take multiple boxes, leading to shortages and chaos, with many people leaving empty-handed. Tess Ingram of UNICEF remarked that 'our team on the ground reports these boxes are woefully insufficient for ensuring children's well-being,' adding that the scale of aid does not meet the growing needs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The contents of each parcel — usually flour, sugar, canned tuna, cooking oil, and pasta — are meant to last a family of five for three to four days. On Wednesday, following the spike in violence and criticism from aid agencies, GHF paused its food distribution efforts. The group confirmed it was in discussions with the Israeli military regarding ways to improve civilian safety. In particular, GHF requested the development of more precise guidance for foot traffic, enhanced training for Israeli troops, and revisions to military protocols in order to minimise the risk of escalation near aid routes. A spokesperson for the organisation stated that GHF was 'saddened to learn that a number of civilians were injured and killed after moving beyond the designated safe corridor,' referring to areas that extend beyond the controlled aid zones and into declared military regions. What the Israeli military has said The Israeli military has responded by saying that its troops only fired warning shots in several cases, and in others, targeted what it described as 'suspects' who approached military positions despite repeated alerts. On Tuesday, a spokesperson said Israeli forces 'fired to drive away suspects,' while pointing out that the full details are under review. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Army spokesman Effie Defrin said, 'The numbers of casualties published by Hamas were exaggerated,' though the military acknowledged that it was investigating the matter. Israeli officials have accused Hamas of attempting to interfere with aid delivery efforts. As part of that narrative, the Israeli military released drone footage claiming to show armed individuals firing at civilians attempting to collect aid in Khan Younis — an area without a GHF distribution centre. However, this footage has not been independently verified by journalists, and its context remains unclear. Notably, in its descriptions of the incidents near the GHF hubs, the Israeli military has not confirmed the presence of armed Hamas members. Meanwhile, GHF has maintained that no violence has taken place within its secured aid sites and that its staff have not been involved in any use of force. This week's incidents are not without precedent. In February 2024, more than 100 Palestinians were killed in a separate episode in which Israeli forces fired on civilians surrounding an aid convoy in northern Gaza. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At that time, Israel said its troops had responded to a group of individuals who ignored warning shots and charged at their position. International officials, including those from the UN and the European Union, asserted that most of the deaths in that episode were caused by direct Israeli gunfire. What the UN has said The growing death toll from these aid-related shootings has sparked renewed international outrage. The United Nations has reiterated its longstanding concerns about the new distribution system, calling it dangerous and counterproductive. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said, 'It is unacceptable. Civilians are risking – and in several instances losing – their lives just trying to get food.' He criticised the current system, supported by Israel and the US, as 'a recipe for disaster,' warning that it is failing to provide safe, effective humanitarian relief. The United Nations Security Council is now preparing to vote on a draft resolution that demands an immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The proposal also calls for the lifting of all restrictions on aid entry and its unrestricted distribution, including through UN agencies. Additionally, the draft includes a demand for the release of all hostages still held by Hamas or other groups. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ten of the fifteen Council members have brought forward the motion, with Slovenia's Ambassador to the UN, Samuel Zbogar, stating, 'It is our historical responsibility not to remain silent.' Whether the resolution will pass remains uncertain, particularly as the United States has often vetoed motions perceived as unfavourable to Israel. The conflict which began after the October 7, 2023, attack in which Hamas killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took approximately 250 hostages. Israel's subsequent military campaign has resulted in over 54,000 Palestinian deaths, according to health authorities in Gaza. These figures include civilians and combatants alike, with thousands more believed to be buried under collapsed buildings. GHF reports that it has distributed over seven million meals since its launch. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
BBC defends Gaza coverage after White House criticism
BBC defends Gaza coverage after White House criticism (ANI) LONDON: The BBC Wednesday defended its reporting of an incident in which Palestinians were killed near a Gaza aid centre, after the White House accused the broadcaster of taking "the word of Hamas". Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli gunfire killed at least 31 people on Sunday near the US-backed aid centre. The Israeli military, however, denied its troops had fired on civilians in or around the centre, and both it and the aid centre's administrator accused Hamas of sowing false rumours. Responding to a question about the incident, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Tuesday the BBC had to "correct and take down" its story about the incident. "The administration is aware of those reports and we are currently looking into the veracity of them because, unfortunately, unlike some in the media, we don't take the word of Hamas with total truth," she said. "We like to look into it when they speak, unlike the BBC, who had multiple headlines," she said, citing stories that gave different death tolls. "And then, oh, wait, they had to correct and take down their entire story, saying 'We reviewed the footage and couldn't find any evidence of anything'," she added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cos'è ChatGPT di cui tutti parlano? Courses AI Undo But the BBC said the White House claims were not accurate and that it had not removed its story. "The claim the BBC took down a story after reviewing footage is completely wrong. We did not remove any story and we stand by our journalism," it said in a statement. It said headlines giving varying death tolls were "totally normal" journalistic practice due to the story being "updated throughout the day with the latest fatality figures as they came in from various sources". It said the death tolls were always "clearly attributed, from the first figure of 15 from medics, through the 31 killed from the Hamas-run health ministry to the final Red Cross statement of 'at least 21'", it added. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its field hospital in Rafah received 179 people, including 21 pronounced dead on arrival. Leavitt also criticised the Washington Post for its reporting of the incident. The Post deleted one article over sourcing issues "because it and early versions of the article didn't meet Post fairness standards". "The article and headline were updated on Sunday evening making it clear that there was no consensus about who was responsible." The BBC has previously faced criticism of its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. In February, it apologised and admitted "serious flaws" over a documentary -- "Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone" -- after it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a senior Hamas figure.
