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Dr Mona Dahiya is the top IVF doctor in Noida

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Guillain-Barre Syndrome outbreak in Maharashtra: 5 new cases detected in Pune, tally up at 163

A total of 168 water samples from different parts of Pune city were sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory, he said, adding that samples from eight water sources were found to be contaminated.

Public holiday in Delhi-NCR for February 5, schools, banks to remain closed due to…

All public offices, academic institutions, boards and corporations will remain closed on February 5.

Gaza authorities plead for tents, accuse Israel of obstructing aid

Government Media Office says securing temporary shelters is the ‘most pressing’ humanitarian need in Gaza. Local authorities in the Gaza Strip have called on donors and aid groups to prioritise sending tents and temporary shelters to help house people whose homes have been destroyed by Israel. The Gaza Government Media Office said on Monday that thousands of Palestinian families across the enclave are sleeping out in the open amid the frigid temperatures. “Securing shelters has become an urgent humanitarian need that cannot be delayed. It is the most pressing need at this moment,” the office said in a statement. It urged the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation, which has been helping coordinate aid to Palestinians, to include tents alongside food and other humanitarian supplies in the coming assistance shipments. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have returned to the north of the territory after the truce reached between Israel and Hamas last month. But many found that their homes have been turned to rubble as Israel levelled entire neighbourhoods in Gaza City and northern towns like Jabalia and Beit Hanoon. Advertisement The Government Media Office later accused Israel of restricting the flow of aid and shelters to the territory in violation of the ceasefire deal that went into effect on January 19. It said the agreement stipulates that 60,000 trailers and 200,000 tents must enter Gaza to help house Palestinians rendered homeless by Israeli bombing. According to the office, the deal also requires Israel to allow equipment to help clear the rubble to reach Gaza. “But the Israeli occupation is putting obstacles and delaying the execution of the agreement, escalating the humanitarian crisis and the suffering of civilians in the Gaza Strip,” it said. “This will have dangerous and unprecedented implications.” Later on Tuesday, World Food Programme official Antoine Renard said there had been a surge in aid to Gaza but suggested that some Israeli restrictions remained, including on items deemed to be “dual use” for civilian and military purposes. “This is a reminder to you that many of the items that are dual use need also to enter into Gaza like medical and also tents,” Renard was quoted as saying by the Reuters news agency. United States President Donald Trump has been calling for displacing the entire population of Gaza, citing the widespread destruction in the territory. Trump’s proposal, which critics say would amount to ethnic cleansing, has been forcefully rejected by Arab states. The US president is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday. The meeting would come amid concerns over the durability of the ceasefire. Advertisement The initial 42-day truce, which will see the release of 33 Israeli captives and nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, expires on March 1. The second stage, which would see the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the freeing of all captives, has not been finalised. On Monday, Trump – who has repeatedly taken credit for helping broker the deal – said he has “no assurances” that the fighting will not resume. “I’ve seen people brutalised. Nobody has ever seen anything like it. No, I have no guarantees that the peace is going to hold,” he told reporters at the White House. Ofer Cassif, a member of the Israeli parliament and a vocal critic of Israel’s abuses against Palestinians, said it was “terrifying” that talks over the second stage have not begun. “I’ve been saying since day one that Netanyahu and the thugs around him in the coalition and the government are not really interested in a ceasefire or saving the Israeli hostages – let alone saving the lives of thousands of Palestinians,” he told Al Jazeera from West Jerusalem. Israel has killed nearly 62,000 Palestinians, including thousands who are missing and presumed dead, during the war that started in October 2023. Adblock test (Why?)

‘We will not stand idly’: Rights groups file suit against Trump asylum ban

Washington, DC – Several immigrant rights groups in the United States, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have filed a lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s ban on asylum claims. The case is the latest attempt to oppose Trump’s hardline immigration policies, which have targeted people already inside of the country as well as those seeking safety from abroad. Like other lawsuits ongoing against the Trump administration, Monday’s complaint contends that the president overstepped his constitutional authority and violated existing law. Currently, it is legal for asylum seekers to cross into the US if they are fleeing persecution. “This is an unprecedented power grab that will put countless lives in danger,” Lee Gallant, the deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said in a statement. “No president has the authority to unilaterally override the protections Congress has afforded those fleeing danger.” The complaint cites domestic legislation and international treaty obligations that require the US government to allow individuals to apply for asylum. That includes the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Advertisement “Via the Immigration and Nationality Act, Congress has created a comprehensive statutory system allowing noncitizens fleeing persecution or torture to seek protection in the United States,” the lawsuit reads. “Under the Proclamation, the government is doing just what Congress by statute decreed that the United States must not do. It is returning asylum seekers — not just single adults, but families too — to countries where they face persecution or torture.” A day-one proclamation Monday’s complaint takes direct aim at one of the proclamations Trump signed on the first day of his second term. Shortly after his inauguration on January 20, Trump unveiled a document entitled, “Guaranteeing the States Protection Against Invasion”. In it, he declared that undocumented immigrants “are restricted from invoking provisions of the INA that would permit their continued presence in the United States”. The Republican leader cited risks to “national security” as well as the possibility of “communicable disease” as his rationale. He also argued that the southern border of the US had been “overwhelmed” with entries. “I therefore direct that entry into the United States of such aliens be suspended until I issue a finding that the invasion at the southern border has ceased,” Trump wrote. The Republican leader had long campaigned on a hardline approach to immigration, including the idea of sealing the border to asylum seekers. His 2024 re-election bid was defined by the same firebrand rhetoric, including nativist assertions that the US was being overrun by a migrant “invasion”. Advertisement Trump repeatedly blamed undocumented people for the country’s woes, from violent crime to unemployment. A backlash But groups like the ACLU have sought to push back against Trump’s policies, using the court system to question their legal merits. In Monday’s case, the lawsuit argues that Trump’s proclamation not only contradicts US law but also its obligations under international treaties. The US, for example, ratified the 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, a treaty that establishes protections for refugees. In a statement on Monday, Jennifer Babaie, the director of advocacy and legal services at the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in Texas, said the lawsuit shows that she and others “will not stand idly by as our immigration laws are manipulated”. “Regardless of any person’s individual beliefs on immigration, any government attempt to blatantly violate our laws is a serious issue impacting all communities across the country,” Babaie said. The Texas-based group is one of four named plaintiffs in the lawsuit, along with the Texas Civil Rights Project, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Service (RAICES) and the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project. Wave of legal challenges But the immigration actions Trump has taken in the first weeks of his second term extend beyond seeking asylum. Even in the first hours of his presidency, Trump signed several executive actions designed to limit immigration and expel undocumented people already in the US. Advertisement Trump increased immigration enforcement activities, surged troops to the US border, suspended the US refugee programme for 90 days, and cancelled an online application used by asylum seekers to schedule US immigration appointments. Some asylum seekers had been waiting for months for the appointments they booked on the app, known as CBP One. The app’s removal nullified their scheduled meetings, leaving them in limbo. In the aftermath, rights groups launched a legal challenge questioning the dissolution of CBP One. Other legal challenges seek to oppose Trump’s expansion of “expedited removal” processes, which would quickly expel undocumented individuals from the country. And others have sought to overturn a stop-work order that halted funding for legal services for immigrants being held in detention. Meanwhile, advocacy groups and various state governments have lodged at least five lawsuits against Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship in the US. A federal judge in January quickly blocked Trump’s order, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional”. Adblock test (Why?)

Petro vs Trump: The diplomatic standoff that could shape Colombia’s future

This is not the first time the Petro administration has found itself in troubled waters, though. His presidency has been punctuated by high-profile political crises, both domestically and internationally. For example, his outreach to Venezuela and Cuba as mediators in Colombia’s peace process has fuelled scepticism among more conservative sectors. Meanwhile, his ambitious domestic agenda, including sweeping reforms to healthcare, pension and labour, has struggled to gain traction amid legislative roadblocks and opposition resistance. His government has also faced recurring instability through a series of cabinet changes and internal disputes. Corruption allegations surrounding Petro’s son and the financing of his 2022 presidential campaign have further eroded confidence. Nevertheless, for some of Petro’s supporters, his recent clash with Trump symbolised his defiant stance against US pressure and his commitment to protecting Colombian dignity. His base — comprised of progressive voters, human rights advocates and sectors disillusioned with Washington’s interventionist approach — sees resistance to Trump’s hardline policies as an assertion of national sovereignty. “I thought that what he did was good,” said Robinson Duarte, an economist who voted for Petro in 2022. “It hasn’t distanced me from him. I support him.” Trump’s threat of tariffs and sanctions, though averted for now, has raised concerns about potential economic repercussions. This could hurt Petro-aligned candidates in 2026, especially if economic anxieties persist. Yet, experts say Petro’s resilience in political crises should not be underestimated. His ability to turn moments of confrontation into populist rallying points has been a defining feature of his career. If he manages to frame the Trump spat as a stand against foreign aggression, he could strengthen his coalition ahead of the 2026 election. “He has also managed to position himself as a person with the capacity to tell [the US] that this is an autonomous country, we have dignity and we have to understand each other within the framework of international law,” Duarte said. “Just because it’s Trump or the most influential person in the world, we are not going to bow down to the US’s way of doing politics.” Adblock test (Why?)

Experts reveal how Trump can keep campaign pledge to eliminate Dept of Education: ‘Scaling down its size’

As President Trump reportedly weighs his options for accomplishing his campaign promise of eliminating the Department of Education, experts spoke to Fox News Digital about what that process will look like and what hurdles the president will have to overcome. “The administration is right to push to eliminate the ineffective and unpopular Department of Education,” Jonathan Butcher, Will Skillman Senior Research Fellow in Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital shortly before the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump officials are mulling an executive order calling for a legislative proposal to get rid of the department. “One thing I’ll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington, DC, and sending all education and education work it needs back to the states,” Trump said in a 2023 campaign video. A White House official told Fox News Digital on Monday night that Trump plans to fulfill his campaign promise by reevaluating the future of the department. TRUMP’S DEPT OF EDUCATION REVERSES BIDEN’S TITLE IX REWRITE: ‘COMMON SENSE RETURNS!’ Butcher told Fox News Digital, “Congress should heed the call and advance policy to eliminate most of the agency’s programs and spending while moving remaining programs to other federal agencies.” “President Trump can declare that the Education Department’s powers are unconstitutional and request a memo from the Department of Justice to support such a position. The president could, conceivably, do the same for specific programs, the Higher Education Act, for example.” “Another approach would be to relocate the agency someplace away from Washington, DC and require employees work in-person, 5 days per week,” Butcher added. “The White House can still remove any non-essential, or non-exempt, positions in the meantime. Even this process would need congressional support to void union contracts.” Butcher told Fox News Digital that even with these possible actions from Trump, the executive branch “still has to spend appropriations as required.” “So, the best-case scenario remains that Congress considers a proposal to close the agency,” Butcher said. “In the proposal, Congress should consider creating block grants for large spending programs such as Title I so that states have more autonomy over what is best for schools within their borders,” Butcher explained. “And Heritage has proposed moving certain offices that we believe should remain to other agencies, such as the office of civil rights to the Department of Justice.” Julian Epstein, longtime Democratic operative, attorney, and former chief counsel to the House Judiciary Committee, told Fox News Digital that Trump will “likely need an act of Congress” to eliminate the department since it is a statutory created agency unless he can “figure out how to do it through reconciliation.” However, Epstein explained that eliminating the department could ultimately cause Trump headaches. “But Trump may want to think twice before he eliminates the department as it has important clubs to promote his agenda,” Epstein said. “The department is the principal enforcement agency to protect women’s sports, prevent discrimination through DEI quotas for favored groups, stop harboring antisemitism, and to address the rather blatant intellectually intolerant, partisan, anti Western ideological factories they have become. To do that, Trump might be well advised to keep the department of education and its core enforcement functions while scaling down its size.” The DOE was established under former President Carter in 1979 when he split it from the Health and Human Services Department. It’s charged with regulating federal student aid funds and ensuring equal access to education, among other responsibilities. TRUMP WANTS TO DISSOLVE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. EXPERTS SAY IT COULD CHANGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Republicans have called to dismantle the agency for decades since former President Carter established itt in 1979, making the case that decisions regarding schools should be determined at the local level. Democrats argue the department provides stability and an opportunity to enforce more generalized policies – civil rights protections, reducing educational disparities and addressing systemic inequalities. Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk, who was tasked with leading the Trump administration’s effort to cut back government waste through the DOGE effort, has previously voiced support for eliminating the department. Experts who spoke to Fox News Digital in November echoed the belief that any effort to fully abolish the department would need the help of Congress. WISCONSIN MOM URGES TRUMP ADMIN TO LAUNCH ‘PIVOTAL’ PROBE INTO ALLEGED RACE-BASED DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SON “President Trump does not have the ability to eliminate a federal department. Eliminating it would require congressional action, including a supermajority of 60 votes in the Senate,” Andrew Stoltmann, an attorney and law professor, said. “So, even if Trump can follow through with what he says, he has to pull in some Democrats in the Senate, and that will likely be impossible.” Stoltmann explained that Trump‘s “best bet is to appoint somebody who will effectively be a figurehead at the Department of Education.” “This doesn’t eliminate the department, but it effectively neuters it during his term,” Stoltman said. The timing of a Trump executive order is unclear although some believe the administration will wait until Trump’s pick to lead the department, former SBA Administrator Linda McMahon, is confirmed, although no timetable for that confirmation is currently set. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment. Fox News Digital’s Aubrie Spady, Liz Elkind, and Taylor Penley contributed to this report

How can Trump achieve campaign pledge to eliminate Dept of Education? Experts weigh in

Trump announces new picks including deputy director of the CIA, chief Pentagon spokesman

President Donald Trump continues appointing new people to his second administration, naming three recent picks in a series of Truth Social posts on Monday. Just two weeks after taking office, Trump announced that Michael Ellis will serve as deputy director of the CIA. Ellis, who will not need to be approved by the U.S. Senate, will work under CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Trump wrote that the incoming deputy director, who is also a lawyer, will help “fix the CIA, and make it, once again, the Greatest Intelligence Agency in the World.” “During my First Term, Michael served at the White House National Security Council, and helped expose abuses of the ‘unmasking’ process by the Obama Administration at the beginning of the Russia, Russia, Russia, Hoax,” the president wrote. “Michael was also General Counsel of the House Intelligence Committee under Devin Nunes, and was selected to be General Counsel of the National Security Agency before being corruptly purged by the Biden Administration.” NEW YORK AG LETITIA JAMES ADVISES HOSPITALS TO IGNORE TRUMP EO ABOUT SEX-CHANGE PROCEDURES FOR MINORS In another post, Trump named Joe Kent to serve as director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). According to the agency’s website, the NCTC operates within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and helps officials by “analyzing, understanding, and responding to the terrorist threat.” “As a Soldier, Green Beret, and CIA Officer, Joe has hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life,” Trump’s Truth Social post read. “Above all, Joe knows the terrible cost of terrorism, losing his wonderful wife, Shannon, a Great American Hero, who was killed in the fight against ISIS.” “Joe continues to honor her legacy by staying in the fight. Joe will help us keep America safe by eradicating all terrorism, from the jihadists around the World, to the cartels in our backyard,” the president concluded. TRUMP’S ULTIMATUM TO FEDERAL WORKERS: RETURN TO OFFICE ‘OR BE TERMINATED’ Finally, Trump named Sean Parnell to serve as the chief Pentagon spokesman, and to work as the assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs. “A Great American Patriot, Sean is a fearless Combat Veteran, who led one of the most decorated units in the Afghanistan War,” Trump said of Parnell. “He earned two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart, while his platoon achieved an incredible record of eliminating over 350 enemy fighters.” “During my First Term, Sean was also instrumental helping pass the MISSION ACT, the BIGGEST VA Reform in History,” Trump added. “Congratulations to Sean, his wonderful wife, and their five children!”

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