International

The Peabody Awards announced its 2024 winners and Indian documentary ‘While We Watched’ directed by Vinay Shukla has been awarded for the best documentary. It follows former NDTV anchor and journalist Ravish Kumar and presents a poignant depiction of the rapid changes in the Indian media industry.

Other high-profile projects set to receive the awards include ‘Bluey’, ‘The Bear’, ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘Fellow Travelers’  Other noteworthy winners among the 34 award recipients are ‘Judy Blume Forever’, ‘20 Days in Mariupol’, ‘All the Beauty and The Bloodshed’, ‘Bobi Wine: The People’s President’, ‘Dead Ringers’, ‘Jury Duty’, ‘Reality’ and ‘Somebody Somewhere’.

Last Week Tonight was also honoured with its third Peabody award, while Reservation Dogs won its second Peabody.

Ramón Fonseca Mora, 71, the co-founder of the law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers tax scandal has died after suffering from ill health.

Mora was among nearly 30 people who went on trial last month on charges linked to the so-called Panama Papers — a huge leak of secret financial documents in 2016 that exposed how the world’s richest and most powerful people hid their wealth.

Mora’s death was confirmed by his niece on X. 

Five Indian sailors on board an Israeli-linked vessel seized by Iran were released on Thursday, the Indian Embassy in Iran confirmed. It also said the sailors had departed the country the same evening.

The Indian Embassy also thanked the Iranian authorities for their close coordination with the Embassy and Indian Consulate in Bandar Abbas. The Israel-linked cargo ship was seized by Iran on April 13, with 17 Indian nationals onboard. On April 18, one of them was released and she returned to Kerala 

Martin Griffiths, the UN’s emergency relief coordinator has flagged that the Israeli military hasn’t allowed anything or anyone to go in or out of Gaza after its takeover of the Rafah crossing.

“Civilians in Gaza are being starved and killed and we are prevented from helping them. This is Gaza today even after seven months of horrors,” Griffiths said on X. Hunger is widespread throughout Gaza because of the seven-month war. The UN says northern Gaza is already in a state of “full-blown famine”.

The UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has also been forced to shut down its headquarters in the occupied East Jerusalem after Israelis – some of them armed – set fire to the compound’s perimeter.

The Biden administration's top diplomat in New Delhi on Thursday dismissed concerns being raised in certain quarters about democracy in India and observed that in many ways Indians are better than the Americans.

At an event organised here by the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti told the audience he was confident that "10 years from now India is going to be a vibrant democracy as it is today in terms of free and fair elections". "Again there's things that probably are worse and there's things that are better. They have a law, you can't go more than two kilometres to vote. So there''ll be one guy who lives in the mountains as a monk (at) someplace. They will walk for two days to bring the voting machine, execute the vote," he said, responding to a question expressing concerns over the status of democracy in India. He said that during election times in India, there are people who check trucks to make sure that nobody has cash going around. "There's probably walk-in money, as they call it in some cities here in the United States, Philadelphia, that's like a tradition where cash kind of gets you votes and things like that. So, I've been impressed with certain things they do that are better than us."

The US on Thursday dismissed the Russian allegations of the US interfering in the ongoing Indian elections.

"No, of course, we don't involve ourselves in elections in India as we don't involve ourselves in elections anywhere in the world. Those are decisions for the people of India to make," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference. He was responding to a question on Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova statement in Moscow in this regard when asked about a recent Washington Post article alleging that a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer was involved in an alleged plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil last year.

"Regular unfounded accusations by the United States against New Delhi... we see that they groundlessly accuse not only India but also many other states…of violating religious freedoms are a reflection of the United States' misunderstanding of the national mentality, the historical context of the development of the Indian state and disrespect for India as a state," Zakharova told reporters in Moscow. "The reason is that they try to unbalance the internal political situation in India in order to complicate the (ongoing) general parliamentary elections. That is part of meddling into India"s internal affairs," RT news quoted her as saying.

India on Thursday said Canada has informed it about the arrest of three Indian citizens in the case of killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar but it has not provided any "specific" evidence or information in the matter yet.

"Let me first make it clear that no specific or relevant evidence or information has been shared by the Canadian authorities till date," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "You will therefore understand our view that the matter is being pre-judged," he added. Last week, Canadian authorities charged three Indian nationals with the murder of Nijjar. It is reported that they entered Canada on student visas.

"Obviously, there are political interests at work. We have long maintained that separatists, extremists and those advocating violence have been given political space in Canada," Jaiswal said. "Our diplomats have been threatened with impunity and obstructed in their performance of duties.”

"We have also pointed to the Canadian authorities that figures associated with organised crime with links with India have been allowed entry and residency in Canada," he said. Jaiswal said the two countries are currently engaged in discussions on issues such as the activities of pro-Khalistan elements and threats against Indian diplomats in Canada. He said many of India's extradition requests are pending with Canada.

India Tuesday hit out at Canada for providing "safe haven" and political space to criminal and "secessionist" elements, in a sharp reaction to pro-Khalistan elements displaying an effigy of the Indian prime minister in an offensive manner at a parade in Ontario's Malton area.

Sri Lanka will hold presidential election between September 17 and October 16, the country's top electoral body announced on Thursday.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to contest the presidential election under a new symbol, his top aide said last month. In May 2022, Wickremesinghe replaced Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister following anti-government protests over the unprecedented economic crisis in the island nation.

Two months later, he replaced Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the President to serve the balance term until the end of 2024.

Wickremesinghe, 75, will represent several parties as a national candidate, Senior Presidential Advisor and UNP senior leader Ashu Marasinghe said last month.

The British government has said it has expelled the Russian defence attache because he was an “undeclared” spy as part of a series of measures against Moscow’s Intelligence gathering operations in the United Kingdom.

The government said it had summoned the Russian Ambassador to the UK to relay these measures and to reiterate that Russia’s actions will not be tolerated. The UK Home Office said the measures being rolled out this week are intended as a strong deterrence message to Russia and include removing diplomatic premises status from Russian properties in the country and imposing new restrictions on their diplomatic visas.

“National security is the first duty of the government. I will do everything to ensure we protect our people and our allies,” said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

As its army faces a shortage of personnel and Russian forces continue with its offensive, Ukraine’s parliament has passed a Bill enabling some prisoners to fight in the armed forces.

According to ‘kyivpost.com’, the Bill needs to be signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

The move marks a U-turn in Ukraine’s approach on the matter as Kyiv had steadfastly opposed the measure and had vehemently criticised Moscow for mobilising prisoners to fill its ranks, reports ‘Al Jazeera’.  Mobilisation would be voluntary and open only to certain categories of prisoners.

Among those not eligible to serve include those found guilty of sexual violence, killing two or more people, serious corruption and former high-ranking officials, said Olena Shulyak, people’s deputy and head of the pro-presidential ‘Servant of the People’ party.

At least seven workers were killed in a terrorist attack by unknown gunmen on Thursday in Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province.

According to Gwadar Police Station Station House Officer (SHO) Mohsin Ali, unidentified gunmen opened fire on a residential quarter near the Gwadar Fish Harbour in the Surbandar area, leaving seven dead and one injured, ‘Geo News’ reported.

The police official said that the dead and injured individuals used to work in a barbershop in the area and belonged to district Khanewal in Punjab. The dead bodies and the injured individual have all been shifted to the Gwadar Hospital, the police said. However, there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the killing of the workers in Gwadar.

Bugti also sought a report on the matter, maintaining that “all kinds of force will be used to arrest the terrorists and their facilitators”.

Two Indian-origin brothers wanted in connection with the murder of a 22-year-old MTech student from India have been arrested by Australian police, media reports said.

Abhijeet, 26, and Robin Gartan, 27, were arrested on Tuesday in the New South Wales country town of Goulburn police are preparing to extradite them to Victoria, the Goulburn Post reported. The brothers were on the run since the early hours of Sunday after Navjeet Sandhu from Noble Park was killed and a 30-year-old man, also from Noble Park, was injured at an Ormond home in Melbourne's southeast.

Police on Thursday charged Gartan with murder and attempted murder while Abhijeet was charged with affray, the report added.

They faced Goulburn Local Court on Thursday morning where their extradition to Victoria was granted. The brothers are set to front the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.

Emergency services were called to the house on North Road at about 1 am following reports of a dispute.

Navjeet was fatally attacked with a knife by another student when he tried to intervene in a dispute between a few Indian students over some rent issue, according to the deceased victim's uncle Yashvir in Karnal, Haryana. "Navjeet's friend (another Indian student) had asked him to accompany him to his house to pick up his belongings as he had a car. While his friend went inside, Navjeet heard some shouts and saw there was a scuffle. When Navjeet tried to intervene asking them not to fight, he was fatally stabbed in the chest with a knife," Yashvir said.

He added that like Navjeet, the alleged accused also hails from Karnal.

Navjeet's friend, whom he was accompanying, also sustained injuries in the incident, the uncle of the deceased said. The injured man is married to the woman, while the man who died was his friend. A weapon was found at the home and will be forensically tested.

On Monday, Detective Inspector Dean Thomas told media that police believed the brothers lived at the Ormond home, where a party was held on Sunday, News.com.au reported.

A 26-year-old Indian student has been reported missing in Chicago since May 2, India's mission in the US city said on Thursday, the latest case in the country as the community grapples with a string of such incidents involving students.

Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi has been missing from the 4300 block of N. Sheridan Rd, the Chicago Police said in a statement.

The Consulate General of India in Chicago said it was in touch with the police and Indian diaspora to locate/reestablish contact with Rupesh. "The Consulate is deeply concerned learning that Indian student Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi has been incommunicado since 2nd May. The consulate is in touch with the police and the Indian diaspora hoping to locate/reestablish contact with Rupesh.

@IndianEmbassyUS @MEAIndia," the Consulate posted on X.

On May 6, the Chicago police in a statement asked people to provide information to the police if they locate Rupesh. The incident is the latest in a string of troubling cases on the safety and security of Indian students in the US.

Earlier in April, a 25-year-old Indian student missing since March was found dead in the US city of Cleveland. Mohammad Abdul Arfath, hailing from Nacharam, Hyderabad, arrived in the US last year in May to pursue a Masters in IT from Cleveland University.

In March, a 34-year-old trained classical dancer from India, Amarnath Ghosh, was shot dead in St Louis, Missouri. Sameer Kamath, a 23-year-old Indian-American student at Purdue University, was found dead in a nature preserve in Indiana on February 5.

On February 2, Vivek Taneja, a 41-year-old Indian-origin IT executive, suffered life-threatening injuries during an assault outside a restaurant in Washington.

In January, 18-year-old Akul Dhawan, a University of Illinois student was found unresponsive outside a campus building. Investigations revealed that he died due to hypothermia, with authorities ruling that acute alcohol intoxication and prolonged exposure to extremely cold temperatures significantly contributed to his death.

Saying that Washington has not given any “credible information” or “evidence” so far, Russia rejected the claim of the United States that Indian officials were involved in the plot to assassinate Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Russia also alleged that the US was trying to “unbalance the internal political situation” in India and “complicate” the ongoing general elections. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during an address, “Washington lacks a simple understanding of India's national mentality and history, as America continues to make unfounded accusations about religious freedoms. Washington's actions clearly constitute interference in India's internal affairs…As for speculations, since there is no evidence, it is not acceptable…They are not respecting India as a state.” Flaying the US for “wrongful accusations” against several other countries, Zakharova said,  “Hard to imagine a more repressive regime than Washington in international and national affairs.”

Last month, citing unnamed sources, the Washington Post had reported that an Indian Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officer was involved in the plot to kill Pannun. India then set up a committee to probe the allegations. The US government urged India to take the matter seriously and said they are waiting to see the results of the investigation.

Authorities in Saudi Arabia have permitted forces to shoot and kill in order to clear land for a futuristic desert city being built by dozens of Western companies, an ex-intelligence officer told the BBC.

The official said he was ordered to evict villagers from a tribe to make way for The Line, part of the Neom eco-project and added that one of them was eventually shot and killed for protesting the eviction. Neom is part of the Gulf nation’s Saudi Vision 2030 and is an eco-region being built at a cost of $500 billion as the Kingdom aims to diversify the kingdom's economy away from oil.

Neom’s flagship project, The Line, has been pitched as a car-free city that is just 200 metre wide and 170 km long. BBC notes that only 2.4km of the project is reportedly expected to be completed by 2030.

The fuel left to run hospitals in the southern Gaza Strip will last only three more days, the head of the WHO warned on Wednesday.

This comes after Israel sent ground troops and tanks into the city of Rafah its forces seized control of the border crossing into Egypt. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus flagged that fuel that was expected to be allowed in on Wednesday had been blocked.

“The closure of the border crossing continues to prevent the UN from bringing fuel. Without fuel all humanitarian operations will stop. Border closures are also impeding delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” Tedros said on X. 

Hamas said on Wednesday it would not compromise any further with Israel over a ceasefire for Gaza, although talks were still under way in Cairo aimed at pausing Israel's seven-month-old offensive.

“Israel isn’t serious about reaching an agreement and it is using the negotiation as a cover to invade Rafah and occupy the crossing,” said Izzat El-Reshiq, a member of Hamas' political office in Qatar. On Wednesday as well Israel continued its tank and aerial strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where it has threatened a major assault on it.

Its forces moved in via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday, cutting off a vital aid route and the only exit for the evacuation of wounded patients.