Latest news with #SecondBoerWar
The Star
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Glamour shots in a gulag
US homeland security secretary Noem speaking to the press as prisoners look on during her tour of the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in March. — Reuters THE image of Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, posing in front of a cage filled with men shocked me. In late March, Noem travelled to El Salvador to visit the maximum-security prison to which more than 200 men had been sent by the United States. In the video of the visit, the men had shaved heads. Most are shirtless and wearing identical white shorts. Some of them stood facing the iron bars through which they were being filmed; others sat on bunks arranged in three levels. Every aspect of this visual – the bunks, the bars, the men visually stripped of their identities – harks back to images of 20th-century concentration camps. Noem, a member of the presidential administration, was there to brag that 'this facility is one of the tools in our tool kit.' And then there is the look she chose: beachy curls, athleisure, what appeared to be diamond rings, a baseball cap with an ICE logo, and, of course, the US$50,000 Rolex. Polished, female, in control: in every way the opposite of the people in cages. As though she were in a different category of human. The history of modern-day concentration camps is often traced to South Africa at the turn of the 20th century, during the Second Boer War, when the British interned more than 100,000 people. But the practice of rounding people up and confining them in subhuman conditions on the basis of belonging to a group and not for any individual action has roots in this country. Under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, tens of thousands of Native Americans were rounded up, imprisoned in camps, marched west and dumped in another place where they had no connection to the land; up to 25% died. British colonisers in Australia, Spanish colonisers in Cuba and, once again, Americans in the Philippines employed such practices in the next decades. Then came the camps in the USSR and Nazi Germany. If you don't know much of this history, that's because countries are generally ashamed of it. Twentieth-century dictators tried to keep the reality of their camps secret in real time. In Hitler's Germany, one could be punished for 'atrocity propaganda' for speaking publicly about the camps. In Soviet Russia, famous writers and filmmakers were taken on carefully staged visits to the camps so they could portray these places as happy educational experiences for citizens in need of reform. Even then president Andrew Jackson claimed that the deportation of Native tribes was driven by a concern for their wellbeing. The Trump administration has chosen to flaunt its concentration camps – to brag about them. The display is meant to terrify, to be sure, but secret concentration camps can scare people just as much. The message here is that neither laws nor shame will stop the terror, for this administration has no regard for the former and, apparently, no capacity for the latter. — 2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Territorial Army: Force created after 1857 that helps in war and peace
File photo of Territorial Army soldiers in Bengaluru. The defence ministry has granted the Army Chief expanded authority to mobilise the Territorial Army amid heightened tensions with Pakistan. Under Rule 33 of the Territorial Army Act, 1948, the Army Chief can call upon all officers and enrolled personnel of the Territorial Army to provide essential security or supplement regular Army operations. But what is the Territorial Army? How it started After the 1857 revolt, the British reorganised local militia into volunteer forces, which saw action in overseas conflicts like the Second Boer War and World War I. Operation Sindoor India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan India-Pakistan tensions: Delhi airport issues travel advisory Operation Sindoor: Multiple explosions heard at several Pakistan air bases In 1920, the Indian Territorial Force was established, which is the direct precursor to today's Territorial Army. After Independence, the need for a homegrown citizens' army was recognised and the Territorial Army Act was passed in Aug 1948. Indian Territorial Army was inaugurated on Oct 9, 1949, envisioned as a volunteer reserve force of 'citizen soldiers' who would serve part-time in defence of the nation. The primary motive was to create a second line of defence that could be mobilised in emergencies. By allowing civilians to serve in uniform on a part-time basis, India's leaders sought to harness the patriotism and skills of ordinary citizens for national defence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Remarkable Oscar Outfits Ever Interesticle Undo Membership & training TA is a volunteer force comprising professionals, businessmen, and others who undergo military training in their spare time. Applicants must be Indian citizens, 18-42 years old and be medically fit. TA personnel train for about two months every year. Roles and purpose An Army Order in 1984 succinctly described the TA's role as: To 'relieve the regular Army from static duties and assist civil administration in dealing with natural calamities and maintenance of essential services, and to provide units for the regular Army as and when required'. In practice, this means the TA is tasked to: ➤ Augment the Army's manpower in war ➤ Bolster counterinsurgency operations and maintain law and order in troubled areas ➤ Ensure critical services (like railways, telecommunications, etc) continue running during war or emergencies ➤ Assist civil authorities during natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, cyclones) or other emergencies Past participation Often nicknamed the 'Terriers', TA units have helped out on several occasions: 1947-48 & 1962 | Soon after inception, TA units were involved in supplementary roles during the first Indo-Pak conflict in Kashmir (1947–48) and the border skirmishes preceding the 1962 Sino-Indian War. During the 1962 hostilities, TA 50k Current strength of Territorial Army, comprising 65 units across India was fully mobilised. They provided logistical support in the Himalayas and manned defensive positions in rear areas. 1965 & 1971 | In both the IndoPakistani wars the TA was again called upon en masse. TA battalions performed vital combat support and logistics roles alongside the Army. 1980s | The TA was deployed in Operation Rakshak, supporting counter-insurgency operations first in Punjab (against Sikh militancy) and later in Jammu & Kashmir (against Pakistan-backed militants). TA soldiers carried out patrols, manned checkpoints, and protected infrastructure in these states. In the late 1980s, Operation Pawan saw the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka (1987–1990) battling Tamil insurgents. TA units were sent to Sri Lanka as part of this mission, primarily in logistical and support roles to the peacekeeping troops. 1999 | They secured rear zones, ammunition depots, and lines of supply during the Kargil conflict.
New York Post
01-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Winston Churchill's London bachelor pad — where he lived after leaving his mother's house — asks $5M
Winston Churchill's former London bachelor pad is on sale for the first time in 10 years — asking $5 million. Many years earlier, Churchill spent five productive years in the second-floor apartment, located in the desirable Mayfair area of London. There, a young Churchill would pursue a string of unsuccessful affairs, meet his future wife Clementine and became a member of Parliament during his 1900 to 1905 tenure. 8 Winston Churchill, pictured in 1941. Getty Images 8 The entrance to the terracotta mansion. Wetherell The two-bedroom home, located on Mount Street, is available for sale through Wetherell and Clifton Property Partners. The unit spans 1,087 square feet on the second floor of a grand, pinkish terracotta building. The Early Renaissance-style mansion was designed in 1888 by architect Sir Ernest George. The current owners of the flat could not be determined, but the property made headlines in 2019 when it was put up for rent, the Daily Mail reported at the time. The apartment is aptly situated above a cigar shop. Before he was the prime minister who led Great Britain through the terror of the Blitz, Churchill lived at his mother's house. After making a name for himself as a soldier and war correspondent, Churchill moved out and into the Mount Street flat. He was 25 years old, according to the agencies, when he leased the two-bedroom from his wealthy cousin. 8 Sautter Cigars, situated below the apartment, sells some of Churchill's favorite brands. Wetherell Churchill moved into the flat in 1900, the same year he published 'Ian Hamilton's March,' a book about his experiences in the Second Boer War. His first year in the apartment also coincided with his narrow election to Parliament. The well-appointed home boasts nine double-height windows overlooking Mount Street and a bright reception room. The large principal suite has a bay window, built-in mirrored wardrobes and an ensuite shower. The separate kitchen off the entrance hall features white cupboards, white stone worktops and flooring. Churchill reportedly used the apartment's second bedroom as a breakfast and dining room. 8 The living room features large windows and a fireplace. Wetherell 8 The whitewashed kitchen. Wetherell 8 The primary suite, formerly belonging to a 25-year-old Churchill. Wetherell 8 A secondary bedroom. Wetherell 8 Both bedrooms include mirrored built-ins. Wetherell 'Homes lived in by Sir Winston Churchill always generate significant interest and we anticipate this elegant apartment in the heart of Mayfair will attract many discerning potential buyers from around the world,' said Peter Wetherell, the founder and executive chairman of Wetherell, said in a statement. In the home Churchill entertained politicians and pursued unlucky love affairs — including a 1903 flirtation with American actress Ethel Barrymore. He met his future wife, Clementine Hozier, at a ball in 1904. The 1905 publication of a two-volume biography of his father, Lord Randolph Churchill, allowed the 30-year-old Churchill to move out of his Mount Street apartment and purchase his own home, according to the agencies, on nearby Bolton Street.
The National
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Winston Churchill's first 'bachelor pad' on sale in Mayfair
The London apartment where Winston Churchill wrote his memoirs of the Boer Wars and held lavish parties as a young man is up for sale in Mayfair's Mount Street for £3.5 million ($4.67 million). The two-bedroom apartment of about 100 square metres is known as Churchill's first 'bachelor pad', where he lived for five years in his 20s as he forged his political career, between 1900 and 1905. Situated next to The Connaught Hotel, it is now on sale for the first time in 10 years, through Wetherell and Clifton Property Partners. The young Churchill, who had fought in the Boer War and made his name as a foreign correspondent, was newly elected as an MP for Oldham in 1900, and leased the apartment from his cousin as a base in London for his political work. This was where he prepared his groundbreaking maiden speech criticising the Second Boer War, a conflict between the Dutch-speaking colonies of South Africa and the British Empire. It was also where he built the stepping stones for his spectacular political career of more than 60 years, becoming prime minister in 1940 after the outbreak of the Second World War and such a key figure in the fight against Nazi Germany. At 105 Mount Street, the young politician entertained guests such as Lord George Hamilton, secretary of state for India, Lord Percy and Sir Arthur Stanley. He also pursued a string of doomed romances including American actress Ethel Barrymore in 1903, and heiress Muriel Wilson. He also met his future wife in those years, then 19-year old Clementine Hozier, at a ball at Crewe House on Curzon Street – which is now the Saudi embassy – though they did not meet again for four years. In 1904, he opposed the government's proposed Alien's Bill, which was designed to curb Jewish immigration. This marked the first steps in Churchill's lifelong political support of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The apartment sits above the Sautter, where Churchill bought his famous cigars, and is adjacent to The Connaught Hotel, which was then known as The Coburg. In 1905 Churchill published his two-volume biography of his father, Lord Randolph Church, for which he received an advance of £8,000, equivalent to about £826,000 today. The advance and the royalties from the books allowed Churchill to buy his own house at 12 Bolton Street in Mayfair, where he moved the next year. The master bedroom on Mount Street has a bay window, built-in mirror wardrobes and an en suite shower room. The second en suite double bedroom was used by Churchill as a dining room. The apartment has a separate kitchen with white stone worktops and flooring and glass-fronted display cabinets. Churchill's cook of more than 50 years, Georgina Landemare, made his favourite roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and consomme soup in the kitchen. He once said to her: 'It is well to remember that the stomach governs the world.'
BBC News
12-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Cornwall museum celebrates Emily Hobhouse's 165th birthday
A museum celebrating the life of Cornish heroine Emily Hobhouse is celebrating her 165th birthday. Hobhouse saved the lives of thousands of women and children held in British concentration camps in South Africa in the Second Boer War of grew up in the village of St Ive, near Liskeard, where her father was a vicar and the first Archdeacon of Bodmin. Wednesday marked her 165th birthday and additional celebrations are taking place on Saturday. The museum, called the Story of Emily, is in Hobhouse's restored birthday celebrations taking place on Saturday include a talk, a birthday cake competition, a bust unveiling and kite Brits, content consultant at The Story of Emily, said at the time Hobhouse was regarded as a traitor in England for her work during the Second Boer said she was never formally recognised in England and it was time "the whole story is told".Hobhouse died in 1926 in London but her ashes are interred in a statue in South Africa.
