Delhi Elections 2025: BJP to stake claim to form govt in Delhi on Feb 19, new CM likely to take oath on THIS date
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Ministers, NDA leaders, Union Ministers, industrialists from the corporate world, film stars, cricket players, saints and sages will also be present and attend the swearing-in ceremony, as per BJP sources.
Israeli soldiers used 80-year-old Palestinian as Gaza human shield: Report
Israeli army forced elderly man to scout buildings with an explosive cord tied around his neck, before he was later shot dead along with his wife. The Israeli military forced an 80-year-old Palestinian man to act as a human shield in Gaza by tying an explosive cord around his neck and threatening to have his head blown off, an investigation by the Israeli outlet The Hottest Place in Hell has found. A senior officer from the army’s Nahal Brigade tied the explosive cord around the man’s neck before he was ordered to scout houses. After eight hours, soldiers ordered the man to flee with his wife from their home in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighbourhood in May, said +972 magazine, which reported the piece in partnership with The Hottest Place in Hell. But when another Israeli battalion spotted the elderly couple on the street, they were shot dead on the spot, according to Israeli soldiers present at the scene. The Israeli soldiers had initially encountered the couple in their home. They told Arabic-speaking soldiers that they were unable to flee to southern Gaza due to mobility difficulties. But even in his condition, the soldiers forced the unnamed 80-year-old to walk ahead of them with his cane, while his wife was detained in their house. Advertisement A soldier told the investigation that the commander had decided to use the Palestinian couple as “mosquitoes”, referring to a procedure where the Israeli army forces Palestinian civilians to serve as human shields to protect the Israeli forces from being shot or blown up. “He entered each house before us so that if there were [explosives] or a militant inside, he would [take the hit] instead of us,” one soldier said. “He was told that if he did anything wrong or didn’t follow orders, the soldier behind him would pull the cord, and his head would be torn from his body.” The man was forced to act as a human shield for eight hours, before he was ordered, along with his wife, to walk towards the so-called “humanitarian zone” in southern Gaza. But the soldiers did not care to tell nearby Israeli divisions that the couple was going to pass through the area, according to the testimonies. “After 100 metres, the other battalion saw them and immediately shot them,” a soldier said. “They died like that, in the street.” Al Jazeera has reached out to the Israeli army for comment on the reported incident. Israeli forces’ use of Palestinian civilians as human shields has been extensively reported on, despite it being forbidden under international law. In August, the Israeli daily Haaretz published an expose revealing that Israeli troops had abducted Palestinian civilians, dressed them in military uniforms, attached cameras to their bodies, and sent them into underground tunnels as well as buildings in order to shield Israeli troops. Advertisement “[I]t’s hard to recognise them. They’re usually wearing Israeli army uniforms, many of them are in their 20s, and they’re always with Israeli soldiers of various ranks,” the Haaretz article said. But if you look more closely, “you see that most of them are wearing sneakers, not army boots. And their hands are cuffed behind their backs and their faces are full of fear”. In the occupied West Bank in June, Israeli forces tied a wounded Palestinian man to the hood of their military jeep, in an apparent use of a human shield. Francesca Albanese, the United Nations’ special rapporteur to the occupied Palestinian territory, slammed the incident, calling it “human shielding in action”. And in January 2024, Palestinian shop owner Bahaa el-Din Abu Ras, 36, recounted how Israeli soldiers used him as a human shield for nearly two hours in Dura, in the occupied West Bank. “So many questions went through my mind: Will I get to go back to my family? Will I be shot or would a rock hit me? Will I be arrested by these soldiers for whatever reason? When or how can I be released, in the middle of this warzone?” Abu Ras said. “I spent about an hour and a half like that, not sure when I would be killed and whether I would ever rest again.” Adblock test (Why?)
At least 9 dead, including 8 in Kentucky, as winter storms batter the US
Dead include mother and seven-year-old daughter swept away in rains in Kentucky. At least nine people have died after harsh winter weather struck the United States, including eight people in Kentucky as a result of heavy rains. The state’s governor, Andy Beshear, said on Sunday that hundreds of people stranded by flooding had to be rescued. Beshear said many of the deaths, including those of a mother and a seven-year-old child, were caused by cars getting stuck in high water. “So folks, stay off the roads right now and stay alive,” he said. “This is the search-and-rescue phase, and I am very proud of all the Kentuckians that are out there responding, putting their lives on the line.” Beshear said the storms have knocked out power to about 39,000 homes, but he warned that harsh winds in some areas could increase outages. Elsewhere, the Northern Plains faced life-threatening cold, and tornado watches were issued for parts of Georgia and Florida. In Kentucky, Hart County Coroner Tony Roberts said earlier that the mother and child were swept away on Saturday night in the Bonnieville community. Advertisement In southeastern Kentucky, a 73-year-old man was found dead in floodwaters in Clay County, County Emergency Management Deputy Director Revelle Berry said. Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee received up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain during the weekend storms, said Bob Oravec, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service. “The effects will continue for a while; a lot of swollen streams and a lot of flooding going on,” Oravec said on Sunday. In Atlanta, Georgia, a person was killed when an “extremely large tree” fell on a home early Sunday, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue Captain Scott Powell. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall was expected in parts of New England and northern New York. Meteorologists said the US was about to get its 10th and coldest polar vortex stretching event this season, with the northern Rockies and northern Plains first in line. Weather forces in the Arctic are combining to push the chilly air that usually stays near the North Pole into the US and Europe. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump says he could meet Putin ‘soon’ as Ukraine, Europe reel from outreach
United States President Donald Trump has said he could meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon” as officials from the countries prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia for talks on ending the war in Ukraine. “There’s no time set, but it could be very soon,” Trump told reporters on Sunday ahead of talks between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. “It’ll be soon; we’ll see what happens,” Trump added when asked if a meeting could happen this month. Addressing reporters after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier sought to temper expectations of a swift end to the conflict, Trump expressed confidence that Putin wants to end the war. “They have a big powerful machine, you understand that. They defeated Hitler and they defeated Napoleon. They’ve been fighting a long time,” Trump told reporters after a flight on Air Force One. “They’ve done it before. But I think he would like to stop fighting.” Asked if he believes Putin wants to seize all of Ukraine’s territory, Trump said he had asked his Russian counterpart the same question and it would be a “big problem for us” if so. Advertisement Earlier on Sunday, Rubio said that Putin had expressed his desire for peace in his phone call with Trump last week even as the top US diplomat cautioned that the conflict would not be resolved overnight. “Now, obviously, it has to be followed up by action. So, the next few weeks and days will determine whether it’s serious or not,” Rubio said in an interview with CBS’s Face the Nation. “Ultimately, one phone call does not make peace. One phone call does not solve a war as complex as this one.” Rubio said the specifics of the talks, including the makeup of the Russian delegation, had not been finalised. “I don’t have any details for you this morning, other than to say that we stand ready to follow the president’s lead on this and begin to explore ways, if those opportunities present itself, to begin a process towards peace,” Rubio said. Trump’s outreach to Russia has raised concerns in Ukraine and Europe that Washington could be racing to secure a peace plan that concedes some Ukrainian territory with little input from Kyiv or its European allies. Neither Ukrainian nor European officials are participating in the talks in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, though Rubio on Sunday stressed that Ukraine and Europe would both have to be involved in any “real negotiations” that result from the meeting. In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press that aired on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would “never accept” any agreement reached without his country’s involvement. Advertisement “This is the war in Ukraine, against us, and it’s our human losses,” Zelenskyy said while attending the Munich Security Conference on Friday. Addressing the Munich conference on Saturday, European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas drew parallels between the Trump administration’s approach and the failure of appeasement in the run-up to World World II. “As I stand here in Munich tonight, I cannot help but ask, have we been here before? Czechoslovakia,1938,” Kallas said, referring to the Munich Agreement endorsing Nazi Germany’s annexation of the Sudetenland in exchange for a pledge of peace. “We have an aggressor at our door intent on taking the land that isn’t his. And the negotiators, not us, are already giving away their bargaining chips before the negotiations have even begun.” European leaders are set to gather in Paris on Monday for an emergency summit to discuss the conflict and future security of Ukraine. Ahead of the summit, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that he is “ready and willing” to send British troops to Ukraine to help keep the peace in the event of a deal to end the war. “I do not say that lightly,” Starmer said in an op-ed published in the Daily Telegraph. “I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way.” “But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent and the security of this country,” Starmer said. Advertisement “The end of this war, when it comes, cannot merely become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again.” Adblock test (Why?)
After strong tremors in Delhi-NCR, 4.0 magnitude earthquake jolts Bihar’s Siwan
Earlier, an earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale shook Delhi-NCR on Monday morning
Trump admin seeks permission to fire head of the Office of Special Counsel
The Trump administration has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, hoping to get permission to fire the head of the federal agency dedicated to protecting whistleblowers. The emergency appeal, obtained by The Associated Press on Sunday, could likely be the start of a steady stream of court filings by lawyers of President Donald Trump and his administration aimed at reversing lower court rulings that have delayed his priorities for his second term in office. The appeal seeks to prevent Hampton Dellinger from resuming his role as the head of the Office of Special Counsel. A lower court judge previously temporarily reinstated Dellinger to his position, which he was appointed to by former President Joe Biden. Now, the Department of Justice is calling on the high court to lift the judge’s order. AS DEMOCRATS REGROUP OUTSIDE DC, GOP ATTORNEYS GENERAL ADOPT NEW PLAYBOOK TO DEFEND TRUMP AGENDA Dellinger has argued that by law, he can only be dismissed from his position for job performance problems, which were not cited in an email dismissing him from his post. The Trump administration’s petition came hours after an appeals court refused to lift the order on procedural grounds, which was filed last Wednesday and is expected to expire on Feb. 26. The case is not expected to be placed on the docket until the Supreme Court returns after the Presidents’ Day holiday weekend. Once filed, the earliest the justices will be able to act will be Tuesday. FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS TRUMP ADMIN TO RESTORE PUBLIC HEALTH WEB PAGES Dellinger sued the Trump administration in D.C. federal court last Monday following his firing on Feb. 7. The Trump administration has been met with a wave of lawsuits since Inauguration Day, and legal experts say many of them will likely end up in the Supreme Court’s hands. “President Trump is certainly being aggressive in terms of flexing executive power and not at all surprised that these are being challenged,” John Malcolm, vice president of the Institute for Constitutional Government at the Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital last week. HOUSE DEMS ORGANIZE RAPID RESPONSE TASK FORCE AND LITIGATION GROUP TO COMBAT TRUMP AGENDA Trump kicked off his second term with a flurry of executive orders and directives that have since been targeted by a flood of legal challenges. Since Trump’s first day back in the Oval Office, more than 40 lawsuits have been filed over the administration’s actions, including the president’s birthright citizenship order, immigration policies, federal funding freezes, federal employee buyouts, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and legal action against FBI and DOJ employees. In one of the most recent developments, a Rhode Island federal judge ordered the Trump administration to unfreeze federal funds, claiming the administration did not adhere to a previous order to do so. The Trump administration appealed the order to the First Circuit shortly thereafter, which was ultimately denied. Many of these lawsuits have been filed in historically left-leaning federal court jurisdictions, including D.C. federal court. Various challenges have already been appealed to the appellate courts, including the Ninth and First Circuits, which notably hand down more progressive rulings. The Ninth Circuit, in particular, has a higher reversal rate than other circuit courts. Fox News Digital’s Haley Chi-Sing and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Earthquake in Delhi-NCR: Why do Delhi, Noida, Gurugram and adjoining cities witness frequent earthquakes?
Earthquake in Delhi-NCR: The Indian tectonic plate continues to push against the Nepalese plate, a process that led to the formation of the Himalayas. This collision zone, spanning northern India and Nepal, remains highly active, making both regions susceptible to frequent earthquakes.
Delhi-NCR Earthquake Today: Tremors of magnitude 4.3 jolt Delhi-NCR
Delhi-NCR Earthquake Today: Tremors of magnitude jolt Delhi-NCR
FCC chair brings receipts on Biden admin’s ‘expertise in incompetence’ in blistering message to Buttigieg
Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr slammed former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for claiming Trump administration “incompetence” is putting Americans “at risk,” pointing to a multi-billion dollar project under the Biden administration that he said yielded no results. “You worked for an Administration that got $42 billion to connect millions of Americans to the Internet,” Carr said in an X post on Saturday responding to Buttigieg. “1,163 days later, that Admin exited without connecting even 1 person & without turning even 1 shovel worth of dirt.” “If we need expertise in incompetence, will reach out,” he added, accompanied by the peace sign emoji. Carr was responding to a message Buttigieg posted on Friday that took issue with the Department of Government Efficiency, which has become a common target of Democrats as Elon Musk and the DOGE team work through federal government agencies in its quest of extinguishing government fraud and overspending. FCC COMMISSIONER HITS BIDEN ADMIN FOR $42 BILLION IN UNSPENT HIGH SPEED INTERNET FUNDS “Incompetence in Washington puts every American at risk, no matter how you voted. No one should be happy that the DOGE team – the same folks who randomly published classified U.S. security information online today – wants access to your bank account & Social Security numbers,” Buttigieg posted to X on Friday, referring to accusations DOGE posted classified information to its website, which the White House has refuted. FCC LAUNCHES PROBE INTO NBC NEWS PARENT COMCAST ‘TO ROOT OUT INVIDIOUS FORMS OF DEI DISCRIMINATION’ The Biden administration in 2021 approved a $42.5 billion provision in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was directed to a program intended to deliver internet to underserved and rural areas of the nation. Four years later, however, the program has not connected users to the internet, the Washington Policy Center found in a report last year. States were required to submit plans to the federal government by 2023 related to the investment and deployment of the internet services. Former President Joe Biden, upon the states submitting their plans, celebrated the internet initiative as similar to former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1936 Rural Electrification Act, which brought electricity to homes nationwide. “What we’re doing is, as I said, not unlike what Franklin Delano Roosevelt did when he brought electricity to nearly every American home and farm in our nation. Today, Kamala and I are making an equally historic investment to connect everyone in America — everyone in America to high-speed Internet by — and affordable high-speed Internet — by 2030,” Biden said at the White House in June of 2023. Carr has frequently taken issue with the $42.5 billion program, including citing it in X posts before President Donald Trump’s election win in November, and the president subsequently appointing the Republican FCC commissioner as chair of the government agency. FCC CHAIR SAYS IT’S ‘REALLY CONCERNING’ THAT A SOROS-BACKED RADIO STATION EXPOSED UNDERCOVER ICE AGENTS “In 2021, the Biden Administration got $42.45 billion from Congress to deploy high-speed Internet to millions of Americans,” wrote on X back in June “Years later, it has not connected even 1 person with those funds. In fact, it now says that no construction projects will even start until 2025 at earliest.” Carr explained to Fox Business back in June that while the funds were allocated to states to deliver internet services through the program, the Biden administration was at fault for the lack of progress. “There’s no question that the 2021 law put some process in place, but the Biden administration decided to layer on top of that a Byzantine additional set of hoops that states have to go through before the administration will approve them to actually get these funds and start completing the builds,” Carr told FOX Business in an interview in June. He added that while some high-speed internet projects had connected people during the Biden administration, none were funded through the $42.5 billion allocation from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. Fox News Digital’s Breck Dumas contributed to this report.
Trump nominates judge to serve as next US attorney for Southern District of Florida
President Donald Trump announced three new members of his administration on Sunday, including Judge Jason Reding Quiñones, who the president has nominated as the next U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “A former Federal prosecutor and Justice Department National Security Official, Judge Reding Quiñones currently serves as a highly respected State Trial Judge in Miami, and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “As the next U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Judge Reding Quiñones will restore Law and Order, prosecute violent crimes and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.” Along with Quiñones, the president announced that Jim Byron will serve as the senior advisor to the acting national archivist, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Having already worked with the NARA, Trump said Byron understands the responsibility that goes into preserving the country’s history. TRUMP LANDS KEY TULSI GABBARD CONFIRMATION FOLLOWING UPHILL SENATE BATTLE In his role, Byron will manage the archives on a day-to-day basis as the Trump administration continues its search for a full-time archivist. Trump also nominated John Jovanovic to serve as the chairman and CEO of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM). TRUMP’S NOMINEE FOR SMALL BUSINESS CHIEF PRIMED FOR FINAL VOTE AFTER CLEARING PROCEDURAL HURDLE “John will utilize his extensive experience in finance, investments, and business building across the Energy, Commodities, and Critical Infrastructure sectors to Make America Energy and Manufacturing DOMINANT Again,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Jovanovic is a graduate of The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned his master’s in business administration in finance and management. He also attended Princeton University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in politics. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “He will work tirelessly to protect all of the gains from our strong Tariff Policies, guarantee that our Exports receive fair treatment, and always put American companies, and our Energy exports, FIRST,” Trump said. “Congratulations John!”