INS Imphal’s commissioning into Navy is testament to India’s growing self-reliance in defence: PM Modi
In a post on X, PM Modi lauded the people involved in the commissioning of the INS Imphal and said that it epitomises country’s naval excellence and engineering prowess.
Court acquits AES Chhattisgarh, its director in coal block allocation case
The court found that the prosecution failed to prove its case as the evidence presented highlighted stark differences in corporate practices between the USA and India.
Delhi Police receives call of ‘blast’ near Israel Embassy, nothing suspicious found
Delhi Police Crime Unit team and forensics team are present on the spot. Also, Forensic Science Laboratory sources said that till now nothing has been found on the spot.
Trump promises to replace Obamacare with his own healthcare ‘alternative’
Former President Trump has promised to roll back the Obama-instituted Affordable Care Act (ACA) if elected president in 2024, despite numerous failed attempts to terminate it in the past. “Obamacare is too expensive, and otherwise, not good healthcare,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. The Christmas post comes as Congress has long attempted to repeal the ACA, more commonly known as Obamacare, but could not succeed. Republicans have largely abandoned the crusade against former President Obama’s signature healthcare bill. Nonetheless, Trump vowed he would “come up with a much better, and less expensive, alternative!” “People will be happy, not sad!” Trump wrote. Last month, Trump wrote on Truth Social that getting better healthcare “than Obamacare for the American people will be a priority of the Trump Administration.” Obamacare was enacted in March 2010. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES EXPANDING ACCESS TO NO-COST BIRTH CONTROL UNDER OBAMACARE “It is not a matter of cost, it is a matter of HEALTH,” he wrote. “America will have one of the best Healthcare Plans anywhere in the world. Right now it has one of the WORST!” However, GOP lawmakers have signaled re-upping the fight against Obamacare is not a priority. At the time of Trump’s post last month, Sen. Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., reportedly said he was an advocate for lowering healthcare costs “and making our healthcare system more efficient.” “But I’m not sure,” he said of Trump’s post. “I’d want to know what the proposal is.” ALMOST 16 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE SIGNED UP FOR OBAMACARE PLANS IN 2023 Ranking Republican on the Senate Health Committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., also said such a healthcare replacement is “unlikely to happen.” Earlier this year, a Texas judge, known for previously ruling Obamacare unconstitutional, struck down a crucial aspect of the healthcare law concerning mandatory coverage for contraception and HIV prevention, siding with a conservative activist and a Christian dentist on religious grounds. The March decision challenged Obamacare’s requirement for insurers to cover certain preventative care, sparking concerns from the Biden administration and in over 20 mostly Democrat-controlled states. WHITE HOUSE EXPANDS OBAMACARE AGAIN, FIXING ‘FAMILY GLITCH’ AND BROADENING SUBSIDIZED PLAN ELIGIBILITY This legal battle echoes previous challenges, notably the lawsuit by the Little Sisters of the Poor in 2020, when the Supreme Court upheld exemptions to Obamacare’s insurance requirements for religiously-affiliated groups and select for-profit companies. In January 2023, nearly 16 million Americans enrolled in Obamacare plans for the year, marking a 13% increase from the previous year.
Gaza’s orphans: Pain without borders
In Jabalia refugee camp, north of Gaza, the cries of an 11-year-old boy named Ahmad pierce the air. “I want my Baba, my Baba, Baba,” Ahmad sobs. His plea echoes through the camp, exposing the profound void left by the murder of his father at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces. “Where are you, Baba? Why did they murder you? What crime did he commit?” People attempt to console the grief-stricken boy but he is beyond consolation: “He promised me to stay alive and not to go. I’m tired. Leave me alone.” Meanwhile, a few thousand kilometres away in Belgium, another Palestinian boy, 15-year-old Zain, mourns the loss of his father, Al Jazeera cameraman Samer Abudaqa. Zain recounts the tragedy that unfolded on December 15, revealing the cruelty of his father’s murder by an Israeli drone. After being struck by shrapnel, Samer bled to death for five hours on the grounds of Farhanah, the high school I went to in Khan Younis. Three members of an ambulance team, including my friend, Rami Budeir, who attempted to rescue Samer, were also targeted and killed. The enormity of the atrocity is etched into Zain’s tearful eyes and face as he speaks about his father. He pledges to pray for him every day. His voice breaks as he sings a song he had written for his dad. “My heart is missing you. Separation tortures me. My heart, after you, is lost, and bitterness is the taste in my mouth.” Zain’s words in Belgium, Ahmad’s cries in Jabaliia reach me here in Edmonton, Canada. I find myself sobbing, unable to shake the images of their pain or grapple with the questions they evoke. My heart has shattered a thousand times in the past 80 days and it breaks once more. I am unable to escape the thoughts of these children, enduring the lasting trauma of being intentionally made orphans by a genocidal army. What makes the pain all the more unbearable is that Zain is the same age as my own son, Aziz, and strikingly resembles him in every aspect – facial features, height, body, voice, and even the choices of clothes and hairstyle. These uncanny similarities intensify the deep sorrow I feel towards Zain and the hundreds of thousands of children who have lost parents, relatives and friends in Gaza. As I think of Zain and his father who was targeted while wearing a press vest, my thoughts wander to another Palestinian orphan, 12-year-old Donia Abu Muhsen. Donia was recovering in Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, when Samer’s body was brought in and prepared for funeral. Israeli bombardment of a house where Donia and her family were taking shelter had killed her parents and two siblings and smashed her leg which necessitated an amputation. When Donia looks at the camera in a video shot a few days before her death, there has a faint smile on her face. Her will to live and dream are strong. She says she wants to study and become a doctor. “We are alone now without [my family]. I was very much connected to [them]. But I must continue,” she says. But the Israeli occupation forces did not allow her to. Two days after they murdered Samer, they killed Donia’s dream. They shelled Nasser hospital, murdering the orphaned girl in her hospital bed. I wonder about other children who survive but their hearts and bodies are broken, with no one left of their extended families to take care of them. Another young orphan, perhaps Donia’s age, shares her harrowing story in another video. She recounts the loss of 70 people, including her parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, while seeking refuge in a chalet on the beach after losing their home. Only she and her five-year-old brother Kanan survived. Unable to walk and in urgent need of an operation, she prays for the opening of the Rafah crossing, hoping for a chance to leave. She is one of the 55,000 wounded people who are currently abandoned by the world scattered across Gaza where a man-made medical collapse is taking place. Tearfully, and in a voice and with a facial expression that could break the hardest rock, the girl says, “If the border doesn’t open within 48 hours, I won’t be able to walk again. I’m in great pain, and I miss walking and my parents deeply.” In the face of the horror and pain the children of Gaza are experiencing, the cry for justice is not a mere plea, it is a global call to humanity, to its collective conscience, if it still exists. This comes at a time, when the powers that be, led by America, openly endorse this genocide and stand in the way of putting an end to it. They are making sure that more children will be orphaned, starved, made homeless, bombarded day and night, and denied access to healthcare, education, and parental love and care. Yet, there is also a growing chorus of voices of peace and hope as well. Russian-American activist Masha Gessen, upon receiving the Hannah Arendt Prize, highlighted the critical opportunity the world still possesses to intervene in Gaza. Gessen emphasised, “The biggest difference between Gaza and the Jewish ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe is that many Gazans, most Gazans are still alive, and the world still has an opportunity to do something about it.” Though we couldn’t save Donia and the parents of Zain, Ahmad and the little orphaned girl, there remains a chance to save those who are still alive in Gaza. We need ceasefire now! The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump shares Christmas message for opponents on Truth Social: ‘May they rot in hell’
In a departure from the familiar lines of the renowned ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas poem, former President Donald Trump shared a new rendition of the “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night” line in a social media rant on his platform Truth Social. “Merry Christmas to all, including Crooked Joe Biden’s ONLY HOPE, Deranged Jack Smith, the out of control Lunatic who just hired outside attorneys, fresh from the SWAMP (unprecedented!), to help him with his poorly executed WITCH HUNT against ‘TRUMP’ and ‘MAGA,’” he wrote on Christmas Day. Included in his Christmas greeting were also “World Leaders both good and bad,” and the “SICK thugs” in the U.S. who “with their Open Borders, INFLATION, Afghanistan Surrender, Green New Scam, High Taxes, No Energy Independence, Woke Military, Russia/Ukraine, Israel/Iran, All Electric Car Lunacy, and so much more, are looking to destroy our once great USA.” “MAY THEY ROT IN HELL,” the former president wrote. “AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS!” TRUMP CLAIMS IMMUNITY IN ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE It was one of several Christmas posts from Trump, who currently sits comfortably in the lead as front-runner for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential race. Another post included a scene from the 1992 movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York where Trump made a brief cameo. Additionally, another post by Trump took a dig at former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act legislation. “Obamacare is too expensive, and otherwise, not good healthcare,” Trump wrote. “I will come up with a much better, and less expensive, alternative! People will be happy, not sad!” Despite several legal battles, Trump keeps gaining ground in the Republican presidential nomination contest, as fewer than one-third of GOP primary voters now back all his rivals combined, according to the latest Fox News survey. COLORADO NIXING TRUMP IS ‘STRIKING UNDEMOCRATIC’ UNITES EXPERTS CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump’s support stands at 69% in the primary race. That’s up 7 points since November and fully 26 points since February. Ron DeSantis receives 12% support (down 1 point since November), Nikki Haley gets 9% (-1), Vivek Ramaswamy 5% (-2), Chris Christie 2% (-1), and Asa Hutchinson 1% (steady). Fox News’ Dana Blanton contributed to this report.
‘Ensure users are informed about…’: Centre issues advisory to social media platforms amid deepfake concerns
The advisory says that terms of service and user agreements must clearly highlight that platforms are under obligation to report legal violations to law enforcement agencies.
New constitution, old playbook: Chad’s Deby continues power play in Sahel
Millions of Chadians voted for a controversial new draft constitution last week, despite resistance from critics of the military government which accuse it of perpetuating itself in power. According to the National Commission Charged with the Organisation of the Constitutional Referendum (CONOREC), 86 percent of voters chose “yes”. The turnout for the December 17 referendum, in which 8 million people were eligible to vote, was 64 percent. The referendum is the second part of a three-step process for the return of the landlocked Central African country to democratic rule following the death of former long-term ruler Idriss Deby Itno who was succeeded by his son Mahmat Idriss Deby in 2021. The new constitution, like the one it replaced, entrenches a unitary system that has been in place since independence in 1960. Ahead of the referendum, opposition parties called for an outright boycott of the process, with a major point being the campaign for a federal system instead, to devolve powers from the centre. One party, Les Transformateurs, claimed removing the unitary system would allow for progressive democracy and spur economic development. But those in favour of retaining the old system – including supporters of the transitional government – say a federalist system will lead to disunity. Protests by the party led to its ban and mass arrest of its members. The transitional government made some concessions by inserting the creation of local governments and local legislatures in the new draft, with the people allowed to vote for their representatives. But the opposition said this was not enough. Experts say the referendum committee comprised mostly Deby allies and offered the opposition no real chance of success or a compromise. When the vote happened last Sunday, the options were simply “yes” or “no” for a unitary constitution. And the debate that began before the referendum, has continued within and outside the country. “When you look at how the referendum process has been conducted, there are a lot of signs that indicate the transition authority intends to keep hold on power as this has always been the case,” Remadji Hoinathy, a Chad-based expert at the Institute of Security Studies, told Al Jazeera. ‘Long-term play’ Upon assumption of power in an April 2021 coup, Deby, now 38, promised to return to democracy within 18 months. After that timeline expired, a national dialogue committee gave the military an extra 24 months and excised a constitutional provision precluding Deby’s participation in the 2024 elections. In October 2022, opposition parties and pro-democracy protesters took to the streets to demand elections but were shot at by the military. Dozens of people were killed, with several others wounded and arrested. Deby has not yet said if he will run or not, but that remains a possibility. Despite the Deby dynasty being in power for over three decades, there has not been a corresponding economic development in the Central African nation. According to the World Bank, extreme poverty has been on the rise yearly and 42.3 percent of the country’s 18 million people live below the national poverty line. The country is also beset by conflicts, primarily driven by multiple armed groups. Experts say the referendum had a predetermined outcome as part of a plan for Deby to stay longer in power. “Deby’s ‘long-term play’ … is to entrench himself at the top of an autocratic political system dominated by the military,” Chris Ogunmodede, a foreign affairs analyst who has worked in African diplomatic circles, told Al Jazeera. Ogunmodede says Deby is using the same playbook as his father, a wily ruler who changed the constitution twice to evade term limits while repressing dissent from opposition and civil society. Yet there remains opposition to his government from multiple rebel groups. Even during the older Deby’s rule, rebels using Libya and Sudan as their base had repeatedly challenged the government, raising possibilities of a bigger fallout from the referendum from aggrieved parties. “In any case, the current trajectory bodes poorly for the establishment of ‘peace’ in Chad, however, that word is defined. It is possible that this ‘referendum’, to the extent that it offers any real choices, might trigger a chain of events that creates another major dilemma in that country,” Ogunmodede said. Members of the security forces patrol Chad’s capital N’Djamena following the battlefield death of President Idriss Debyin N’Djamena, Chad April 26, 2021 [Zohra Bensemra/Reuters] France’s backing In recent years, there has been increased pushback against French influence in its former colonies. This has resulted in coups in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Guinea. But unlike in those countries where relations between military governments and the French have deteriorated, Deby has embraced Paris and is helping repress any threat to France’s continued influence in the country. In 2021, Paris backed his rise to power and has been quiet about state tactics to stall a credible return to democracy, a different stance compared to its criticism of coups elsewhere in the Sahel Analysts like Hoinathy say due to Chad’s strategic position in regional security as the last bastion of France’s military presence in the Sahel, Deby is now seen as a key ally for Paris. In turn, France has helped prop up the Chadian elite. “The big difference is that the leaders in power are the ones leading on this anti-France movement [in Sahel],” Hoinathy said. “While in Chad, the leaders in power remain very strong partners with France and they know that this relationship with France is key for them to remain in power because they receive military and diplomatic support.” Double-faced Deby? Even as Deby continues to navigate the internal strife in Chad, attention is now turning to the geopolitical fireworks that some of his actions have sparked abroad. In neighbouring Sudan, the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been at war since April. The former has accused Deby of allowing the use of the Amdjarass airport in its north for channelling weapons to the latter by the United Arab Emirates. Chad – which has
New video shows detainees stripped in Gaza
NewsFeed New video show Palestinians stripped and detained in Gaza by the Israeli army, as other freed detainees allege abuse and mistreatment. Published On 26 Dec 202326 Dec 2023 Adblock test (Why?)
Why has cricketer Khawaja been barred from showing solidarity with Gaza?
The Australian cricketer, Usman Khawaja, has accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of double standards – this time after being denied permission to display the image of a dove of peace on his bat, in solidarity with Gaza. What happened between Khawaja and the ICC? Khawaja planned to show his support for Palestine by decorating his bat with the image of the dove accompanied by the message “01: UDHR”, a reference to the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that human rights are universal and inalienable. According to The Australian newspaper, the ICC has refused to allow him to display this message on his bat. The ICC Code of Conduct forbids players from wearing, displaying or conveying messages through arm bands or other items on clothing or equipment without prior approval, especially for “political, religious or racial” causes. However, Khawaja and his supporters point out that this rule has not stopped other players from displaying such messages in the past. For example, West Indies players were permitted to wear “Black Lives Matter” logos on their shirts during a test series against England in 2020. In a video he posted on Instagram late on the eve of the second test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday, Khawaja also posted pictures of other international players displaying religious symbols and messages on their bats. He captioned his post: “Merry Christmas everybody, sometimes you just gotta laugh … #inconsistent #doublestandards.” Khawaja’s case is not the only instance when the ICC has blocked a player from displaying such symbols. England’s Moeen Ali was banned from wearing wristbands with the messages, “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine”, during a home test against India in 2014. Khawaja’s armband and shoes Pakistan-born Khawaja has made several attempts this month to show his solidarity and support for the people in Gaza, where more than 20,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks. On Friday, he said he would contest ICC’s reprimand for wearing a black armband in the first test against Pakistan in Perth on December 14. He had originally intended to show his support by displaying the messages “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” on his shoes in the colours of the Palestinian flag. He wore these shoes during training and intended to wear them during the test match as well, but was prevented from doing so. He argued that his message was not political in a video posted on X on December 13. All Lives are Equal. Freedom is a Human right. I’m raising my voice for human rights. For a humanitarian appeal. If you see it any other way. That’s on you… pic.twitter.com/8eaPnBfUEb — Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) December 13, 2023 Khawaja, 37, argued that the armband decision did not make sense. “I told them it was for a personal bereavement. I never ever stated it was for anything else. The shoes were a different matter, I’m happy to say that,” he said at Melbourne Cricket Ground. He did not specify details about the personal bereavement. Thank you to all those who supported and gave me love this week. It wasn’t unnoticed 💕. Nothing worthwhile is easy. History shows we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. But together we can fight for a better future. 🙏🏾 #freedomisahumanright #alllivesareequal pic.twitter.com/HAhbebDbCT — Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) December 18, 2023 What does the dove of peace represent? Doves have long been a symbol of peace in many cultures, including Palestinian culture. The separation wall that divides many communities including the Palestinian town of Bir Nabala in the occupied West Bank has several different graffiti symbols painted onto it including the dove of peace. A section of the wall runs through Bethlehem. British street artist Banksy’s armoured dove is particularly celebrated. It features a white dove wearing a bulletproof vest, carrying an olive branch in its beak. This dove can be seen in many spots in Palestine. Banksy’s armoured dove on a shop’s wall in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank [David Silverman/Getty Images] How have others reacted? Australian skipper Pat Cummins defended Khawaja, arguing that there is no difference between Khawaja displaying the dove symbol and his teammate, Marnus Labuschagne, displaying an eagle on his bat as a religious symbol. The Australian team was sympathetic towards Khawaja’s desire to show his support, said Cummins on Monday. “I don’t know the ins and outs of the application, but I think it is pretty vanilla, a dove,” he told reporters. “We really support Uzzy, I think he’s standing up for what he believes and I think he’s doing it really respectfully,” he said. “He can hold his head high the way he’s gone about it, but there’s rules in place, so I believe the ICC have said they’re not going to approve that. They make up the rules and you’ve got to accept it.” Cricket Australia said in a statement that Khawaja had a right to express his opinion but they expected him to conform to the ICC rules banning displays on his playing equipment. Australia’s sports minister, Anika Wells, gave Khawaja her full backing. “Usman Khawaja is a great athlete and a great Australian. He should have every right to speak up on matters that are important to him,” she said. “He has done so in a peaceful and respectful way. He has done so as an individual and expressed an individual opinion that does not compromise the Australian cricket team’s obligations to the ICC.” Adblock test (Why?)