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Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
Bikers snatch woman's purse containing gold necklace, cash and mobile phone in Shahpura
Bhopal: In another snatching incident that exposed lapses in the city's security ahead of a scheduled VVIP movement, bike-borne miscreants allegedly snatched the bag of a woman travelling in an auto-rickshaw with her husband near a private bank in Rohit Nagar Phase-I in Shahpura around 9:45 PM on Wednesday night and fled the spot. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The bag contained a gold necklace, Rs5,000 in cash, and a mobile phone. Acting on the complaint, Shahpura police registered a snatching case against unidentified accused and started investigations. Shahpura SHO Lokendra Singh Thakur said that the complainant, Mohammad Ameen, 51, a native of Ranchi in Jharkhand, is currently posted at Indian Oil Corporation Limited in Shimla. He previously lived in Bhopal between 2013 and 2017. Ameen informed the police that he went to Indore to attend a family wedding. He came to Bhopal on Tuesday night for some work and was staying at the company's guest house. His wife accompanied him. SHO Thakur said that on Wednesday morning, Ameen's wife took out her gold necklace from a bank locker near 10-Number Market and kept it in her purse. They came to Shahpura and had lunch at a relative's home. In the afternoon, the couple visited New Market for shopping. After completing their shopping, the couple hired an auto-rickshaw around 10 PM to return to the guest house in Shahpura. As the auto approached HDFC Bank in Rohit Nagar Phase-I, a bike pulled up next to them, and the pillion rider snatched the purse from Ameen's wife, who was seated near the edge of the auto. The stolen purse contained a gold necklace, Rs 5,000 in cash, and a mobile phone. The couple immediately reported the incident at the Shahpura police station. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now After inspecting the crime scene, police registered an FIR on charges of snatching against the unidentified bike-borne accused around 2:30 AM. Investigators suspect that the robbers may have followed the couple from New Market and targeted them after confirming the presence of valuables. Since the victim was sitting near the open side of the auto, the miscreants had easy access for the snatching. Police are currently scanning CCTV footage from the area to identify the accused.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will the United States deport people to Rwanda?
After a plan by the United Kingdom to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was scrapped last year, Kigali is now in discussions about a similar arrangement with the United States, despite concerns from rights groups. This month, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe confirmed that his country is in talks with Washington over a migration deal, but concrete details have been scarce. Analysts say this time, things just might work out for Rwanda. Donald Trump's government is actively deporting refugees to third countries like El Salvador and is reportedly in talks with Libya, a country beset by conflict and economic instability that already hosts tens of thousands of refugees. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the administration is looking for countries, preferably distant ones, to accept deported individuals, particularly convicted criminals who have served their sentences. 'We are working with other countries to say, 'We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings to your countries,'' Rubio said during a cabinet meeting in April, adding that far-off locations would prevent re-entry. Human rights groups have, however, raised concerns that such deals could see refugees from unsafe countries being sent to other unsafe countries or even the very places they fled. Here's what we know about the proposed deal: Minister Nduhungirehe, speaking to state TV on May 5, refused to give the full details of Kigali's discussions with Washington but said the two countries were involved in talks at the 'early stage'. 'We are in bilateral talks,' the official said. It's unclear how many refugees could be transferred or when that might commence. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolanda Makolo, in a statement to Al Jazeera, said no details have been formalised. 'At this point, we are still in discussion and nothing has yet been agreed. One aspect of our approach is based on rehabilitation and integration, as opposed to prison camps or detention centres,' she said on Friday. Earlier reporting by local Rwandan media suggested the agreement could see the US pay for a programme to help deported refugees integrate into Rwandan society through stipends and job assistance schemes. The US has not publicly commented on the Rwandan talks. In what looked like a possible model for future deportations, Washington quietly deported an Iraqi man, Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, to Kigali, the Rwandan capital, in April. Although Ameen was granted US refugee status in 2014 and is a resident of Sacramento, the US government under Joe Biden and the previous Trump administration had sought to remove him from the country. In 2021, a court ruling said that Ameen could be deported because he lied about having ties with ISIL (ISIS), even though a cousin he associated with was a member of the armed group. Ameen's lawyers appealed the decision, saying he faced execution in Iraq, where he is accused of killing a policeman. In 2024, Rwanda attempted to seal a similar refugee relocation deal with the UK, but it ultimately failed. The Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) deal was originally agreed to in 2022 when the UK faced a surge of migrants and refugees arriving on boats. The plan was for Rwanda to process asylum claims and resettle them in the East African nation if the applications were successful. The agreement also stated that the UK was to provide aid funding to Rwanda and pay for the cost of processing and integrating each individual. Each person, in the first year, would cost £45,262 ($61,358). The plan was for an initial five-year period. Individuals not wanting to stay would be flown to their home country by Rwanda. The UK would pay £10,000 ($13,440) for every individual Rwanda returned. However, legal challenges hampered progress as migrant advocates who condemned the move as unethical and unlawful launched several lawsuits. They argued the deal violates the non-refoulement principle of the United Nations Convention on Refugees, which protects people from being forced back to countries where they face serious threats to life or their freedom. At one point, a court order prevented a plane ready to fly the first set of people to Rwanda from taking off. Despite the opposition, parliament passed a bill of approval in April 2024. However, after the new Labour government was elected last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called off the deal, calling it a 'gimmick' by the previous Conservative government. Separately, Rwanda has since 2019 partnered with the African Union and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to 'temporarily' house migrants evacuated from detention centres in Libya, where they faced exploitation, torture and sexual abuse. The UN says that of the more than 2,200 people evacuated to a UN-run facility in Rwanda's eastern Gashora village, about 1,600 have been resettled in countries like Sweden, Norway, Canada, France and Belgium. All refugees relocated so far are from African countries. In return, the UN and the European Union provide funding to Rwanda as well as local infrastructure, such as building the village's roads. Analysts say Rwanda is eager to secure a relocation deal for the money it stands to gain, but also to better its standing with Western countries. Although highly praised for transforming from a war-torn nation where a genocide against Tutsis was committed in 1994, to a fast-developing economy, Rwanda is aid-reliant, with about $1bn in aid funding padding close to a fifth of the yearly budget. Most of that money comes from Germany, the US, and Japan. A deal with a Western country would likely pump needed funds into the country. The UK deal, although now called off, saw Rwanda get paid about 290 million pounds ($389m) in pre-payments. If it had been successful, Kigali would have received about £150,000 ($202,000) for one individual over five years. Makolo, the government spokesperson, did not speak to the financial details of the proposal. 'African countries, including Rwanda, can be part of the solution to global challenges such as irregular migration, in a mutually beneficial bilateral relationship,' she told Al Jazeera. Importantly, analysts say Rwanda is also likely seeking a better standing with its Western allies, many of whom have voiced displeasure over its military actions in the East African region, specifically in the ongoing crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A UN Group of Experts, as well as the US, accuse Rwanda of backing M23, a rebel group that has seized major cities in eastern DRC in deadly offensives since January; Rwanda denies the accusations. M23, which is fighting the Congolese army and allied armed rebels, claims to be defending the rights of Congolese Tutsis, while Rwanda claims Kinshasa backs some former genocidaires now operating as militias in DRC. Although the US government sanctioned Rwanda's regional affairs minister, James Kabarebe, in February over Kigali's support for M23, the Trump administration's tone has noticeably softened in recent weeks, analysts say. 'This [deal] has something to do with that, of course,' Christian Rumu of Amnesty International told Al Jazeera. 'Rwanda is in a very difficult situation, and by proposing this service, there is certainly a return that it will be expected. So this is political, and we can't close our eyes to that.' The US, which is seeking to seal a minerals deal with the resource-rich DRC, is now negotiating peace talks between the DRC and Rwanda. On April 25, Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwanda's Nduhungirehe met with Rubio and signed an agreement committing to peace negotiations. The UN and rights groups like Amnesty International have raised fears about the safety and protection of refugees facing deportation to third countries. In a statement last June when the UK-Rwanda deal was on the table, UNHCR said that while it has repeatedly commended Rwanda's 'generous' offer to host a facility for evacuees from Libya, it stands against shifting responsibility for asylum decisions to the country. 'UNHCR has been consistently clear on its concerns regarding the serious risks that 'externalization' poses to refugees, including refoulement, and finds that the UK-Rwanda Asylum partnership shifts responsibility for making asylum decisions and for protecting refugees,' the statement read. Rumu of Amnesty echoed those observations, pointing out that the US deal would be different from the UNHCR-Libya case because a third-party organisation like the UN won't be involved to properly verify that international asylum protection laws are being followed. However, Rumu added, his opposition is also about the morality of such a deal. 'Rwanda has open visa policies, so if it was ever an option for these people, they would have gone there in the first place,' Rumu said. 'This is about using people's suffering. [The US] saying they'll send the most despicable people shows it is rooted in bigotry and not in human dignity. This is about money and Rwanda positioning itself in the eastern DRC crisis – but it is people who will suffer for it.' Analysts also question how Rwanda can safely accommodate people with criminal records, and if long-term integration with local communities is possible, in a country still grappling with its complex, post-genocide past. Opposition politician Victoire Ingabire told Al Jazeera that it's too early to say what effects the US deal might have on Rwanda, but that the country itself is dealing with multiple crises, including hundreds of people displaced since the 1994 genocide, and the new fighting in the DRC. 'Rwanda must first solve both internal and regional challenges so that it stops producing its own migrants,' she said. 'This will prepare Rwanda to receive migrants from other countries in the future.' The voices of Rwandans themselves have not been highlighted in these debates, whether in the failed UK deal or the proposed US partnership. Rights groups, like Human Rights Watch, often criticise Rwanda for what they say is a repressive political environment that restricts freedom of the press and expression, and where people may be hesitant to share their views. Last year, residents close to one Kigali hostel that was meant to host the refugees from the UK, spoke to Al Jazeera at the time the country's parliament approved the plan, but they spoke anonymously and offered a neutral take. Dativ, a 35-year-old, told Al Jazeera the UK plan sounded like a great idea because money would flow into Rwanda, and asylum seekers would bring more employees into the service sector. Rwanda's economy mainly relies on services, tourism and agriculture. Another Rwandan, a 45-year-old man who works as a taxi driver in the same neighbourhood and who refused to give his name, said it could go both ways: Rwandans could have more work, but the relocated asylum seekers could also be competing with locals for job opportunities.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Businesses suffer as prolonged roadwork hampers Bengaluru's Nehru Road
1 2 Bengaluru: For nearly a year now, the once-bustling commercial stretch of Nehru Road in Kammanahalli has been under repair, with debris, mud and dug-up pavements pushing customers away and hurting small businesses. The worsening road conditions have caused six or seven seven shops to shut down because of poor business. The work began in June 2024. When TOI reported on the issues in early Jan, BBMP officials had said the work would be done in three months. However, when TOI visited Nehru Road early in May again, the ground reality was as bad as it was in Jan. At present, BWSSB is carrying out drainage and water pipeline work. After this, BBMP will take up white-topping. The road is filled with mud, jelly stones, garbage, and pipes, and is uneven, with patch-up work being done in spots that were dug up. A hotel owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said they lost 40-50% of customers because of the work. "I started in 2019 and Covid hit my business badly. Just as I was recovering from the losses, this road issue came up. Customers come in only if the road is good and drivable, and only if commuters drop in do we have business. We are paying high rents here for these shops, so how should we bear rents, labour payments, and make profits? We aren't against any development work, but when the work is so slow, how long can we continue to bear losses?" While local MLA KJ George's team has promised to finish the work in the next 3-4 months, locals fear there may be a delay and monsoon will make it difficult to even walk on the road. In fact, a 100-metre portion from Nehru Road Circle towards Kullapa Road has been closed for the past three months. Ameen, a footwear shop owner, said: "The road in front of my shop has been closed for months is filled with mounds of mud, earth-digging machines and other vehicles... so how will customers come? Our concern is that there are two schools on this stretch, I can't understand how kids will walk in this mess from the first week of June when the schools reopen. What are we supposed to do? Who will listen to us?" Another shopowner, who has a biriyani joint on the same stretch, said they used to sell 4-5 boxes of biriyani, each weighing around 40kg. Now, it is down to one or two boxes. "The amount of dust rising from the road is discouraging people from coming and eating in open food joints." Fed up with the slow pace of work, the locals had a meeting with the MLA and officials seeking clarity on when Nehru Road would become presentable. A trader who wished not to be named said, "Developments are welcome but not at the cost of shutting down businesses. After a six-month delay in completion, we had a meeting with officials to check on the status of the project, and also pointed out the problems we are facing. The project has no timeline and no proper coordination between the agencies. "
The Citizen
13-05-2025
- The Citizen
Foreign national caught with over R1m in cash and bag of bank cards
Police arrested a man suspected of cybercrime and theft in Table View after he was found with more than R1 million in cash. Police arrested a 38-year-old foreign national in possession of R1 million cash and stolen bank cards. Picture: Supplied. A foreign national who failed to account for more than R1 million in cash in foreign and South African currency and a bag of bank cards belonging to various people was arrested. The Western Cape police are investigating a 38-year-old suspect's possible links to cybercrime after he was discovered with a substantial amount of cash in Parklands in the early hours of Tuesday. Western Cape police spokesperson Captain Frederick C. van Wyk said members of the provincial operational command centre captured the suspect. R1 million in cash seized Armed with information about drug dealings, the members stormed the home on Holly Crescent in Table View, where they conducted a search. The members discovered a bag containing other people's bank cards in addition to the cash. ALSO READ: How topless car thieves met their match against SANDF officer in pyjamas and slippers Police arrested a 38-year-old foreign national in possession of R1 million cash and stolen bank cards. Picture: Supplied. 'The occupants of the residence were unable to provide a valid reason for possessing the items, and the 38-year-old suspect was subsequently arrested on suspicion of possession of suspected stolen property and conspiracy to commit cybercrime,' Van Wyk said. The suspect will be appearing in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court on Thursday, 15 May 2025. Additional charges may be added As the investigation progresses, detectives may bring additional charges. Police arrested the suspect one month after 45-year-old Mohammed Ameen pleaded guilty on 2 April 2025 as part of a plea deal with the state. She was convicted of money laundering and breaking exchange control laws. Customs officials at Cape Town International Airport launched the case in October 2017 when they caught her with undeclared cash — $544 200 (about R10 million) and R2.95 million — as she prepared to travel to Dubai. They arrested Ameen on the spot. ALSO READ: BMA officials intercept stolen motorbike, cellphones and cars at Kosi Bay The court sentenced Ameen to five years in prison, wholly suspended for five years, for contravening exchange control regulations, and to eight years in prison, also wholly suspended for five years, for money laundering.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Smith open to signing longer contract to stay at Swindon
Harry Smith has said that he would be open to signing a contract extension at Swindon Town after a spectacular first season since returning to the club. Arriving last summer after leaving Sutton United upon their relegation to the National League, Smith has been a revelation for Swindon, with only six players in League Two scoring more goals than him and being crucial to Town's style of play. Swindon have plenty of contract negotiations going on right now, with the out-of-contract group of Jack Bycroft, Connor Ripley, Nnamdi Ofoborh, Aaron Drinan, and Paul Glatzel all having been made offers in the retained list, along with ongoing discussions with Botan Ameen and Joel McGregor over extensions. Ameen is currently the subject of plenty of interest from higher up the pyramid, including Norwich City and Sheffield United, and Town are working to tie him down to a longer professional contract, having already triggered the third-year option in his scholarship deal. READ MORE: Holloway hints at plan to extend contracted players' deals Swindon make offers to five players as retained list released 'I want to do what is fair' - Holloway gives update on Ameen and McGregor Ian Holloway has met with the 18-year-old's family and outlined his vision to them for his development, to convince Ameen to choose to remain at the Nigel Eady County Ground. Town are also hoping to give McGregor improved terms and another year on his deal after impressing last season, although that negotiation is not currently a priority for Swindon as they have another year on the deal he signed last summer. However, Holloway revealed to The Adver that the club were considering offering other members of the current squad new contracts to keep control of them beyond the next season, as, at present, only Harrison Minturn is signed up for the 2026/27 season. He said: 'I have got some signed on, they have only got another year on their contracts, so this time next year, I might have all of them out. 'Do I want to add some of them and keep them, and make sure that they don't run out next year? 'I am thinking about all of these things, and it is a wonderful cacophony of problems. This is what I live for.' Smith is one of 17 players currently contracted for next season, with nine of them having played a significant role within Holloway's squad during last season, although his deal only has one more year left to run, meaning he would be free to leave after the end of the 2025/26 campaign. In a recent interview with BBC Radio Wiltshire, the 29-year-old was asked whether he would consider signing a longer contract to remain at Swindon. He said: 'Yes. I have had conversations with the chairman [Clem Morfuni] and the manager [Holloway]. 'It didn't even need to be as long as it was, he said 'What are your thoughts?' and I just said, 'Gaffer, send me the papers and I will do it.' 'I am happy [here], my family is happy, my little boy is in school, and my partner's family are up the road in Bristol. 'I don't see myself being away from Swindon, no.'
