Watch: What Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh Did Hours Before His Assasination

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh visited a theme park exhibition featuring 'Axis of Resistance' landmarks just hours before his assassination in Iran. He was seen alongside Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Nakhaleh.

The 'Axis of Resistance' is an Iran-led coalition of groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis and allied forces in Syria and Iraq. This coalition aims to counter Western influence, particularly from the US and Israel, in the region. The alliance seeks to counteract what it dubs as aggression and interference by these powers, advocating for a Middle East free from external control. Iran plays a central role in providing significant military aid, training, and funding to other members. 

The Iranian media has released a video of Haniyeh's visit, hours before his death. He was seen talking to reporters. 

A few hours before being assassinated, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyah visited a theme park exhibition of the “Axis of Resistance” landmarks, along with the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad Ziad al-Nakhaleh, a video released by Iranian media shows. pic.twitter.com/Jk7rqTARbD

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) July 31, 2024

The Hamas leader and one of his bodyguards were killed Wednesday morning in an airstrike on the building where they were staying. On Tuesday, Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Hamas has blamed Israel for the attack. "This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas," senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement.

Israel previously vowed to kill Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders in response to the group's October 7 attack on southern Israel. Since then, Israel's war on Gaza has killed close to 39,400 people and injured 90,923 others.

Earlier, Haniyeh's three sons, Hazem, Amir and Mohammad, were killed on April 10 this year when their car was hit by an Israeli airstrike. Hamas reported that Haniyeh also lost four of his grandchildren – three girls and a boy. 

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In Israel, Sperm Of Soldiers Killed In Gaza War Being Frozen

As Israel's war in Gaza rages, a growing number of parents in Israel are demanding sperm from the bodies of their sons, who were killed during the ongoing conflict, to be extracted and frozen, a BBC report said.

Since Hamas' all-out offense on October 7 and Israel's brutal retaliation, over 400 Israelis have been killed. 

Of these, sperm has been retrieved from as many as 170 men - both civilians and soldiers - according to the Israeli health ministry. This marks a 15 times rise as compared to previous years.

The process involves making an small incision in the testicle to take a piece of tissue from which live sperm cells can be extracted and frozen. The chances of successful retrieval are high within 24 hours after death but the sperm cell can live for up to 72 hours in the body of the deceased.

To ease the process of grieving families, some rules for the procedure have been relaxed but families are still frustrated about the lengthy legal processes they face.

In October, the Israeli health ministry removed a mandatory court order request for parents to use the procedure to extract sperm. While it has become easier to freeze the sperm, widows or parents who want to use it in the conception of a child have to prove in court that the dead man wanted to have children. 

Parents say the whole process can take years, the long wait adding to their grief.

The first Israeli couple to preserve and use their dead son's sperm did so in 2002 after their son, a soldier, was shot dead by a Palestinian sniper in the Gaza Strip. Their granddaughter is now 10 years old.

While experts believe the process has “great meaning” to bereaved families, they also say that "the current rules have created a conflict in the case of single men" as their desire to have a child has to be proven to court for the procedure to be carried out.

As single men often have no clear record of consent, their families, who arealready coping with grief in “a very difficult situation”, can only freeze the sperm but can't use it for fertilisation.

Currently, Israeli lawmakers are attempting to draft a bill to create clearer, more comprehensive rules for the process seeing the high number of deaths in the ongoing war in Gaza.

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Opinion: Why Are So Many Tech Graduates In India Unemployable? It's The 'Cliff Effect'

A young tech graduate, full of potential, steps into the job market, only to find their skills outdated and their opportunities limited. This scenario is all too common in India, where despite substantial investments in higher education, a stark divide has emerged among students, particularly in the computer science stream. I call this phenomenon the 'Cliff Effect' as it highlights the precipitous drop in the quality of education beyond top-tier tech institutes like the IITs and IIScs. This 'cliff', which leaves many students underprepared and alienated from cutting-edge advancements, underscores the need for comprehensive reform in India's computer science education.

Squandering The Demographic Dividend

As much as 65% of India's population is under the age of 35. Yet, many lack the necessary skills required to function in a modern economy. According to the recent Economic Survey, just about half of India's youth is employable. Another report, by NASSCOM, flags a significant employability gap among engineering graduates in India. This gap has far-reaching implications, considering that India aims to become a $5 trillion economy by 2025. 

The quality of computer science education across many Indian institutions is far from what's needed in today's job market. Universities do not update their syllabi frequently, leaving students unprepared for the demands of the industry. The lack of experiential learning and hands-on training further exacerbates the problem. Compounding all these issues is the stagnant entry-level pay offered by some major IT companies in India. Despite the industry's growth, salaries have seen little change over the years. For instance, one major company's campus placement offer was just about Rs 3.5 lakh per annum, compared to an average of Rs 4.15 lakh per annum a decade ago. The stagnation indicates the lack of value ascribed to fresh graduates.

India, all in all, needs a systemic overhaul in education and industry practices.

Beyond Just 'Coding'

Knowing how to code is no longer enough. Thanks to AI, the job landscape is evolving rapidly, and employers in the coming years will seek candidates with deep domain knowledge and an interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving. This shift will be crucial because technology alone cannot drive innovation; it must be complemented by a thorough understanding of the domain in which it is applied. Only then can solutions be developed to effectively address real-world problems.

For instance, a coder with a deep understanding of agriculture can design AI-driven solutions to optimise crop yields, manage pest control, and predict weather patterns, thereby enhancing productivity and sustainability in the agricultural sector. Similarly, a coder who understands pedagogy can develop advanced learning platforms that cater to diverse educational needs, personalise learning experiences, and track student progress effectively.

India stands to benefit significantly from computer scientists who possess interdisciplinary skills and don't rely solely on technical knowledge. In that light, integrating interdisciplinary courses in computer science education is important to foster a holistic understanding of technology and its impact on society. It is essential that the next generation of technologists embodies responsible and trustworthy AI values and is aware of and actively addressing challenges like privacy, security, and other ethical concerns. 

An Interdisciplinary Framework

To build an interdisciplinary approach to India's computer science education, it is essential to foster collaborations between universities, industry experts, and policymakers to ensure that the curriculum is both relevant and future-proof. Universities should design programmes that include mandatory courses on ethics, data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI. Incorporating case studies and practical examples from various industries can help students grasp the real-world applications of their technical skills.

Practical training should be a cornerstone of this interdisciplinary approach. Internships, live projects, and workshops should be mandatory components. Establishing partnerships with other academic departments can promote cross-disciplinary projects, fostering a holistic understanding of technology's impact on different fields. Additionally, universities should create platforms for students to engage with industry professionals through guest lectures, mentorship programmes, and industry-led workshops.

Mozilla Foundation's Responsible Computing Challenge in India (RCC), backed by USAID, exemplifies this approach. It funds and supports the development of curricula that combine computer science with ethics, social sciences, and interdisciplinary knowledge. The RCC aims to revolutionise the teaching of technology and computer science by embedding responsible computing practices into the education system. By integrating ethics and interdisciplinary approaches into computer science curricula, RCC fosters a more inclusive computational future, as well as a culture of ethical innovation. 

Breaking The Status Quo

Building an interdisciplinary approach in computer science education is fraught with challenges. One significant obstacle is the institutional framework, which often clings to the status quo. Many institutions are resistant to reform. While most educators are dedicated to providing the best for their students, a substantial number also harbour a "this-is-how-we-have-always-done-it" attitude, which hinders progress and innovation. 

Additionally, there is a crucial need to convince parents to think beyond traditional programmes. Many parents, understandably, want their kids to follow 'safe bet', conventional career paths over more innovative and interdisciplinary fields. Changing this mindset is vital for students to have diverse educational experiences that equip them with the skills needed for the complexities of the modern workforce.

(Jibu Elias is an AI ethicist, activist, researcher, and currently the Country Lead (India) for the Responsible Computing Challenge at Mozilla Foundation)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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Opinion: The 'Woman-Math' Of A 31-Year-Old, Unmarried, Bengaluru Woman

There comes a point in the life of every 30-something Indian woman where many interactions take the form of an explanation. The pressing issue to be addressed is this: "What's a brilliant girl like you doing single?"

The "Graveyard" Of 30s

You'd think the legalisation of homosexuality, new flourishing pockets of polyamory and open relationships, the fluidities in gender and sexuality and self-expression, would've dulled the kind of thinking that prompts people to ask such questions. But even the young and supposedly open-minded let slip their belief now and then that 30 is some kind of a graveyard, after which life either ends or is not as meaningful as it once was. A young man was recently telling our common friend about "a really old woman" he was lucky to have sex with. "She was, like, 31 or something, dude," he bragged, before realising his faux pas.

Another Gen-Z woman told me "I'll never be Gen-Z, no matter how hard I try". I wondered if the implication was that I was too old to be so online, or that I was not as good at it as she was, or that instead of being so up-to-date with memes and popular discourse, I should do something more age-appropriate. The internet is, after all, riddled with girl-math and boy-math-never woman-math. 

But when you are content with your life and its discontents, you don't want to engage with anyone who doesn't get it. Especially when you can just write a column about it.

Young, Sweet Love

So, let me tell you (almost) everything: At the age of 29, I was in perhaps the best relationship of my life with a cool, caring and emotionally stable man I'd known for years, who had a family that I'd have been honoured to enter. Just a few weeks into our relationship, I knew that I should marry him, but by our two-year anniversary, when we were at a crossroads about what to do next, I felt I'd changed too much. "Settling down" suddenly seemed too distant from who I felt I was becoming, even though I'd been anxious to get married throughout my late twenties. Maybe it was distaste at having chased something so externally imposed that made me want to upend it, or maybe it was something deeper (it was definitely something deeper. My parents are divorced and my family is dysfunctional, and I have been subject to my own creative, destructive self-sabotage for a long time now).

Either way, I was trying to discard the imposed and honour the internal. My twenties had been driven by the need to succeed at every task thrown my way, despite familial troubles, all some form of survival disguised as decorum. But I now intended to live my many unlived lives: I moved out of our shared apartment into a one-bedroom flat - a veritable 'Room with a View' - in which I started writing more, painting for the first time, thinking and working fully without disruption. I loved my solitude, which also I'd never allowed myself, because even outside of your gender, living and doing things alone, and enjoying them no less, is considered 'weird' at best. I wanted to date freely and widely, to understand what really suited me, to devote more time to my many friendships, without romance or marriage becoming the fulcrum for the rest of my life. I'd seen much harm ensue from people doing things just because other people were doing them too. 

I wanted to be a sovereign individual, in short.

I Now Understand Carrie Bradshaw

Favourable or not, this was the honest thing to do. From Virginia Woolf to Carrie Bradshaw - whose room with a view was in expensive New York City ( even in Bengaluru, I work multiple non-writing jobs to sustain my mostly modest lifestyle)  - writers especially want this kind of solitary freedom. The first time I watched Sex and the City last year, however, just after I turned 30, my reaction to Carrie's life was not a kindred "I'm just like her fr". I was way more judgmental. Her initially crazy behaviour with Big notwithstanding, I thought her dresses were too floozy and her columns simplistic and her attitude too carefree - not dark and brooding and real, like mine - and her pursuits too meaningless. Going out every night, meeting new people, buying more shoes than she could afford... What kind of 30-year-old woman does that? She was being such a... girl... I realised, in horror.

She was being what I could never be at home, as the eldest daughter to perfectionistic Tamil Brahmin parents: unbothered, free, promiscuous, cute, silly, often stupid, at least financially, if not romantically too. She was being what I found it hard to be even now, due to both internal and external deterrents. Unlike in New York City, a Bangalorean landlady might still tell you things like "don't allow boys to enter for your own safety". When I told this woman that I had male friends, she asked me whether I was "really Brahmin". Another landlady flat out refused to rent to a single woman because "if something happened to me", she'd be responsible.

There Is No Right Way To Live

So, when you walk away from such well-trodden paths, the pressure to display satisfaction and success intensifies. Carrie was one of TV's first female protagonists to portray women as desiring beings, rather than just desired objects. She doesn't just take what she gets - not always; she tries to be a discerning customer, at least. And like her, despite choosing authenticity over safety, I too experience doubt. I might catch myself thinking like the 'society uncle and aunty', who'd wonder about how much money I'm making or how big my house is or how many followers I have or how likely I am to get married in the next few years. After all, what do I have to show for my deviance?             

But if there's one thing I've learnt from my Robert Frost era, it discourages this kind of habitual comparative evaluation, normalised by the hypercompetitive Indian coming-of-age experience. I have to keep reminding myself of it, but the only lesson is this: There is No Right Way to Live.

On Love And Lovers

In just the past few weeks, as I was travelling through Goa and Kerala, I wondered sometimes what "settling down" might look for someone like me. I met people from, as ChatGPT might say, "all walks of life". It started with an old friend ringing to tell me he was back in the city, on a sort of a sabbatical, an unimaginable luxury for '90s Indian kids who were repeatedly asked to excel. 

We spent the day yapping - if I may be so bold, my Gen-Z readers - and then met a few of his friends. The single ones chatted about how romance is irrevocably different in our 30s than in our 20s. It's less about giving into chemistry and more about overcoming the attachment styles and subconscious patterns that lead to exciting but otherwise unsuitable partners. Another was in an open relationship with her primary partner for nearly a decade, with girlfriends and boyfriends in other countries too. Another bemoaned his inability to fall in love after his most serious relationship ended badly. Another old friend texted me about the end of their marriage after years of being together. 

From this colourful scene, my friend and I departed to meet two other friends, a married couple, who might be the poster child of the 'New-Indian-Happily-Married-Hindu' Family. Like the other couples I've hung out with of late, they too briefly made me long for the traditional monogamous setup. We talked until 3 am, and I woke up the next day to meet a friend I'd made in Goa. He'd moved there to "be more openly queer", after realising that the more metropolitan cities wouldn't offer him the life he wanted. We flirted with the idea of dating, but my now familiar commitment-phobia reared its head again. I was hardly out of a situationship with an ex who had once been a favourite, but was now completely wrong for me, thanks to chemistry coupled with traumatic highs and lows. 

Talk about being romantically stupid, well past the age for it.

Who Doesn't Have 'Problems'?

Fortunately, it didn't take me long to forget about him, because I matched with interesting, desirable people on the multiple apps you can now be on-from Bumble and Hinge and Feeld to, yes, even... Shaadi.com. Many people find these platforms hellish, and I might too eventually, but if you're an anthropologist as I sometimes get to be, it's easier to trade outcomes for observations and stories. I'm still not sure what I want, but I've met a wildlife researcher whose first conversation with me included an image of a bear standing on one of his weighing scales. I've also met lawyers and designers and writers and artists and technology brothers, and couples and divorcees and singles and weirdos and non-weirdos - some chronically online and others not - and what I'm learning is something no relationship coach or matchmaker will ever tell me, but what feels most important to know: there is no right way to live.

No one seems objectively happier than the other. No one seems to not have any problems. Some of these problems are despite following the well-trodden path. Some of them are from walking away from it, understandably. A lot of problems come from wondering if the problems are even legitimate, and whether others could or would or should have them.

For now, I am here to confirm: they do have problems, and they're quite like yours, and you're okay. 

And I'm okay too, I think.

(Sanjana Ramachandran is a writer and marketer from Bengaluru)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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Will Action Be Taken Against "Coaching Centre Mafia"? Centre's Reply

The government issued guidelines on the regulation of coaching centers in January this year, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed Lok Sabha on Monday, even as he evaded a direct reply to a question on the death of three IAS aspirants in Delhi due to flooding.  

During the Question Hour, Congress MP KC Venugopal mentioned the death of the three students and said the institute had no approved building.  

"Without an approved building, without any facility, some of the coaching centers become mafia... is the government going to take any action?" he said.  Mr Venugopal also raised concerns about students' suicides.

Quoting information provided by the ministry in an earlier written reply, he said that between 2018-2022, around 80 students committed suicide in top-ranking institutions like IITs and IIMs, adding that caste discrimination is a major reason behind it.  In his response, Mr Pradhan said, "The member has raised a question which is not related to the question put today."

"But I like to assure the House through you, this government is committed to total socio-psychological and mental protection of all students, whether they are studying in a coaching center, in an institution, school education or higher education," he said.  

He said exhaustive and detailed guidelines on coaching centers were issued to all states in January, 2024.

"Some states also have regulations, like Rajasthan, Bihar, Goa. They have their own regulations to look into the matter," he said.  

"Regarding the protection, this is a socio-psychological issue. We all have to take care. This is not an issue to be dealt with through only allegations and answers," he said.

Three civil services aspirants died on Saturday after the basement of a building housing a coaching centre in central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area was flooded following heavy rains.

In his reply to another question, Mr Pradhan dismissed that India was witnessing "brain-drain" with students going abroad for higher education. The students who go outside have made the country proud, he said.

TMC MP Saugata Roy asked if the number of students going abroad is increasing. He said good quality higher education not being available in India was the reason behind the "brain-drain".  

The education minister asserted the intelligence of Indian students should not be criticised for political reasons, and also said there is no dearth of high quality education institutions in the country.  

He named Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Adobe Systems CEO Shantanu Narayen, and IBM CEO Arvind Krishna among those who came out of the Indian education system. India is proud of them, he said.

"Go to any economic hotspot, Indians are thriving there... We grow due to this connectivity. The globe is shrinking into a village. Depriving our next generation of the good standards of the world is wrong," he said.  Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, however, said that the top institutions named by the minister are like just a "few islands of excellence in a vast ocean of mediocrity", and improvement is required.  

Mr Pradhan in reply said he is open to suggestions, and added that the government is stressing on quality education, and there are ranking systems to evaluate it.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Samajwadi's Mata Prasad Pandey Named Leader Of Opposition In UP Assembly

Samajwadi Party leader Mata Prasad Pandey has been named Leader of Opposition in Uttar Pradesh Assembly after Akhilesh Yadav was elected to Lok Sabha in the recently held general election.

The 81-year-old veteran leader represents Itwa constituency in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar district. A seven-time MLA, he has served as Speaker of the Assembly for two terms.

Former state minister and Kanth MLA Kamal Akhtar has been named the chief whip of Samajwadi Party in the Assembly and Rakesh Kumar Verma, MLA from Raniganj, is now the deputy whip.

The position of Leader of Opposition had fallen vacant after party chief and incumbent Akhilesh Yadav was elected to Lok Sabha from Kannauj parliamentary constituency.

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Meet Olivia Coffey, A Private Equity Staffer Eyeing Gold At Olympics

Private equity staffers regularly frequent the basement gym at 510 Madison Avenue in Manhattan. Among them: an athlete preparing to don the red, white and blue in her second Summer Olympics.

Meet Olivia Coffey, a senior associate at One Equity Partners, representing Team USA in the women's eight next week. Her personal best time on an ergometer, or indoor rowing machine, over 2 kilometres is 6 minutes and 36 seconds.

Speaking to Bloomberg News from Erba in Northern Italy, where US rowers trained before travelling to Paris earlier this month, 35-year-old Coffey explained how she forged a career in the alternative asset management industry while pursuing her dreams on the water.

After graduating from Harvard in 2011, Coffey was recruited by One Equity Partners in a back-office role. Her parents trained with the firm's founder Dick Cashin - he and her father Cal rowed for the US at the 1976 Montreal Olympics (the elder Coffey won silver in the pair's event.)

Early in her career, Coffey missed out on selection for the London 2012 Olympics and was a spare for the Rio 2016 Games. She worked on the firm's research and valuations team and rowed while obtaining her MBA from the University of Cambridge, graduating in 2018.

That year, after winning the world championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Coffey resumed work at One Equity Partners and targeted a place on the Olympic team - an effort that was rewarded with a berth in the women's eight, which placed fourth at the Covid-postponed Tokyo Olympics.

'Rowed to Paris'

"It was a really awful feeling to walk away without getting to my ultimate goal," she said. "I was ready to be done with rowing, but found my life wasn't balanced, it felt like something was missing," Coffey said.

She resumed workouts in the office basement gym, attended CrossFit classes and began training with a group who communicated on an appropriately-named WhatsApp chat: 'Rowed to Paris.'

Coffey, who lives between Princeton, New Jersey, Manhattan's Upper West Side and Watkins Glen in upstate New York, and spent the most recent winter in Sarasota, Florida, logs 14 to 15 exercise sessions per week.

Awake at 5:30 a.m. each morning, she spends about two hours on the water rowing 20 kilometres to 30 kilometres, and during afternoons, she spends about 90 minutes on another cardio or cross-training activity, be it running or cycling - sometimes in Central Park - or on the rowing machine or lifting weights.

"I usually hit 250 kilometres a week, or 40 kilometres to 50 kilometres a day," said Coffey, who rarely drinks alcohol when training. "I eat a ton of carbs - things like cookies and sweet drinks, which are not great for me long-term," she says.

"When I'm not training, I'm recovering or working," adds Coffey, who aims to be asleep by 10 p.m.

As part of her work at One Equity Partners, Coffey sits on the board of Dragonfly Financial Technologies, a digital banking platform, and is a board observer for Montgomery Transport, a flatbed trucking operator, as well as staffing firm Prime Time Healthcare.

One Equity Partners' flexibility enabled Coffey to schedule work around her training. "I'm thankful, the firm couldn't have been more supportive," she said. "I feel really fortunate to have understanding deal teams, and colleagues who can accommodate my schedule."

Due to her rowing commitments, Coffey isn't subject to what she describes as a classic 80-hour work week. "I work as much as I can within the confines of training," explains Coffey, who generally logs on by 9.30 a.m. or 10 a.m. each morning. Through the fall, when she was training intensely ahead of team trials in March, she notched an average work week of 40 hours. In the lead-up to Paris, that number has halved to about 20 hours, as she focuses on portfolio management and opts out of originating new business.

Olympians Everywhere

The US Olympic Committee gives rowers a stipend of $1,000 to $2,000 a month in addition to health insurance, which a lot of athletes supplement with full-time work, said Coffey, who on a regular day, can jump from working on a financial model in Microsoft Excel to a board presentation.

In her role, she deals with everything from origination to due diligence to hashing out terms of a credit agreement, and she especially enjoys meeting founders.

"I know what it feels like to be super passionate and the amount of sacrifice and perseverance it takes to put everything you have into something," Coffey said. "They love what they do."

She'll be supported in Paris by her family including husband Michael Blomquist, a managing director at renewable energy project finance brokerage Open Energy Group, who has made blue tops emblazoned with "Go Liv!" for her cheer squad. Blomquist understands Coffey's drive all too well - he quit Morgan Stanley to focus on qualifying for a spot on the London 2012 US Olympic team.

Also, there will be Jamie Koven, a partner at One Equity Partners, a co-chair of the National Rowing Foundation and former Olympic rower himself, having competed at the Olympics in 1996 and 2000 in Atlanta and Sydney, respectively.

Koven and Cashin are not the only co-workers to have competed at the Olympics. Senior adviser Fritz Hobbs, partners Charlie Cole, Matthew Hughes, Ante Kusurin, and associate Jack Lopas, all rowed at prior Summer Olympics, and principal Mario Ancic is a former professional tennis player who won a bronze medal at the Athens 2004 Games.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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At Olympics Opening Ceremony, Drag Parody Of 'The Last Supper' Draws Flak

The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024 has courted a massive controversy over the drag queen-themed apparent parody of "The Last Supper," a mural painting by Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci of Jesus and his apostles. Soon after videos of the performance were shared on social media, they drew flak from all quarters.

On Friday, as part of the opening ceremony of the Olympics, several performances shed light on France's history and culture.

At the ceremony, a group of around 18 performers struck poses behind a long table, with the Seine River and Eiffel Tower placed in the background. Among them were three familiar Drag Race France queens, the New York Post reported.

In the centre, an ornately dressed woman was seen donning a large silver headdress, resembling a halo depicted in Jesus' paintings. While smiling, the woman made a heart shape with her hands as all of them looked at the camera before breaking away in a choreographed routine.

Later, the participants stormed the stage for an impromptu fashion show as they swayed along the sidelines.

Further adding to this "absurdity," a massive serving tray revealed a scantily dressed man, who was painted head to toe in sparkling blue.

A post on the official X handle of the Olympic Games stated that the "interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings."

The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings. #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/FBlQNNUmvV

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024

However, the performance did not go down well with many who felt the group was making fun of Christianity.

"This was extremely disrespectful to Christians," Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote.

The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings. #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/FBlQNNUmvV

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024

French politician Marion Maréchal said, "To all the Christians of the world who are watching the #Paris2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation. #notinmyname"

To all the Christians of the world who are watching the #Paris2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation. #notinmyname

À tous les chrétiens du monde… pic.twitter.com/GusP2TR63u

— Marion Maréchal (@MarionMarechal) July 26, 2024

Journalist Kyle Becker said the 2024 Paris Olympics has gone "full Woke dystopian."

"The opening ceremony was filled with transgend*r mockery of the Last Supper, the Golden Calf idol, and even the Pale Horse from the Book of Revelation," he said.

Some social media users have also criticised the performance over the involvement of a child.

"The Paris Olympics is under fire for including a *child* in their hyper-s*xualized, blasphemous rendition of The Last Supper. Instead of bringing people together, the planners of the event apparently wanted to mock the religion of 2.4 billion people," one user wrote.

NEW: The Paris Olympics is under fire for including a *child* in their hyper-s*xualized, blasphemous rendition of The Last Supper.

An apparent child could be seen joining the drag queens during the performance.

Instead of bringing people together, the planners of the event… pic.twitter.com/5nUSmE72Oe

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 26, 2024

Olympics 2024 started in Paris on Friday and will continue until August 11.

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Who Are 'Documented Dreamers' And Why Are They Facing Deportation From US

Nearly 2,50,000 children of legal immigrants, including a significantly large number of Indian-Americans, are now facing a major risk of being deported from the US after they turned 21 and "aged out".

Called the 'documented dreamers,' these people enter the US with their parents, who are usually on temporary work visas. However, they lose their temporary dependent status as soon as they turn 21 and face deportation.

As per the analysis of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data by the National Foundation for American Policy, more than 1.2 million Indians, including dependents, have been waiting in the first, second, and third employment-based green card categories as of November 2 last year.

Who are documented dreamers?

The minor children coming to the US through the temporary, non-immigrant visa category along with their parents remain eligible to obtain permanent resident status through a parent if it occurs before they turn 21. However, if they fail to attain permanent residency before the mentioned age, these children lose their temporary dependent status and are thereby removed from the green card queue -- in official terms they age out, according to the American Immigration Council.

As they turn 21, the children “age out” of the temporary legal status derived through their parents' visas and face potential deportation unless they can obtain a different temporary or permanent status by themselves.

For example, the popular H-1B visa, one of the widely utilized categories in temporary visas, allows the minor children of an individual in H-1B status to enter the US as H-4 dependents -- a temporary, non-immigrant visa category allowing them legal status to remain in the country for a limited period of time. 

Why do they face deportation?

Until they reach 21, these 'Documented Dreamers' remain excluded from the temporary deportation protections as well as work authorisation afforded to them through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. This requires the recipients to have “no lawful status on June 15, 2012,” the Council reports. 

As these children do not have legal status to remain in the US, they are required to transition to a new temporary status or self-deport as they become undocumented and risk being subjected to enforcement action.

An exercise of prosecutorial discretion, DACA gives temporary relief from deportation and work authorisation to a particular group of undocumented immigrants. 

However, it does not provide permanent legal status to individuals and has to be renewed every two years. In order to be eligible for this, the applications have to meet certain requirements, including the significant one that requires the person to have “had no lawful status on June 15, 2012.” 

However, in the majority of cases, this requirement disqualifies the 'Documented Dreamers', who generally have lawful status.

What does the US government say?

On Thursday, the White House blamed the Republicans for this legislative impasse.

"I talked about the bipartisan agreement that came together from the Senate where we negotiated a process to help the so-called documented Dreamers. And sadly, Republicans, and I've said this many times already at this podium today, which is that they voted it down twice," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said recently.

Last month, a bipartisan group of 43 lawmakers, led by Senator Alex Padilla, called on the Joe Biden-led administration to take urgent action to protect these Documented Dreamers.

"...due to the long green-card backlog, families with approved immigrant petitions are often stuck waiting decades for permanent resident status," they said in the June 13 letter.

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Sabotage, Fires Across France Rail Network Ahead Of Olympics: 10 Facts

1. Trains to and from Paris have been disrupted by what the government called a "massive attack aimed at paralyzing the network" of France's superfast trains.
2. The "sabotage" occurred just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics and has already affected over 8 lakh passengers.
3. "Coordinated malicious acts targeted several TGV lines last night and will seriously disrupt traffic until this weekend," French Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
4. Fires were set off at several rail-line nodes, with people seen fleeing the sites in vans, Jean-Pierre Farandou, the head of the national rail company SNCF, said on BFM TV.
5. "SNCF was the victim of several simultaneous malicious acts overnight. Arson attacks were started to damage our facilities," the national train operator said, adding that the attacks affected its Atlantic, northern, and eastern lines.
6. SNCF urged passengers to postpone their trips and stay away from train stations.
7. The train operator said that the situation would last through the weekend as they would have to repair the network cable by cable.
8. International train operator Eurostar's services were also affected, especially those to London and Brussels from Paris.
9. The disruptions come amid heightened security across Paris, with tens of thousands of police deployed to secure the Games. In preparation, large sections of the city have been cordoned off, with Olympic sites, train stations, and tourist landmarks guarded by gun-toting officers, including counter-terrorism units and the military.
10. The opening ceremony this evening will see up to 7,500 competitors travel down a six-kilometre stretch of the river Seine on a flotilla of 85 boats.

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This Country Asks Microsoft, CrowdStrike To Pay For Losses Due To IT Outage

Malaysia's digital minister, Gobind Singh Deo, has asked Microsoft and CrowdStrike to consider compensating companies that suffered losses during last week's global tech outage, Reuters reported. 

The outage, caused by a faulty CrowdStrike software update, affected computers powered by Microsoft's Windows operating system, disrupting internet services worldwide. In Malaysia, five government agencies and nine companies in aviation, banking and healthcare were affected.

Minister Deo, who met with representatives from Microsoft and cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, has requested a detailed report on the incident and urged the companies to take preventive measures to avoid future outages. 

He announced that he has also requested the companies to consider compensation claims from parties who have suffered damages or losses due to the recent global tech outage. However, the full extent of the losses has yet to be determined.

Tony Fernandes, CEO of Malaysia's Capital A, which operates budget airline AirAsia, also called for compensation, stating companies deserved reimbursement for losses incurred due to the tech failure. 

The global outage affected airports, pharmacies, banks, payment systems and train services, causing significant inconvenience to many. Even a terminal cancer patient's brain surgery was delayed.

Microsoft and CrowdStrike collaborated to resolve the issue, releasing a recovery tool and providing guidance for affected customers. The recovery tool offered two options - "Recover from WinPE" and "Recover from safe mode", to help customers restore their systems.

Airports have advised passengers to continue checking for potential disruptions before travelling. Although systems are now back online, some journeys may still be impacted by delays and cancellations. Major airlines, including Ryanair, British Airways and EasyJet, were affected, with some flights cancelled due to software issues. 

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Opinion: Budget 2024 Has Big Promises For Bihar - Even If No Special Status

In a deft move, the Narendra Modi government on Tuesday managed to strike a balance as it announced a liberal allocation for Bihar in the Union Budget without yielding ground on the state's demand for a 'special' status or package.

Showing political dexterity, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Budget proposes to support several standalone infrastructure projects in the state. Under this, Rs 26,000 crore will be allocated for developing four specific road projects, Rs 21,400 crore is earmarked for power projects, including a new 2,400 MW plant at Pirpainti, and Rs 11,500 crore has been set aside for flood management. New airports, medical colleges and sports infrastructure in the state were part of the promises. Sitharaman also said additional allocation would be made to support capital investments and that the Centre would expedite the requests of the Bihar Government for external assistance from multilateral development banks.

Mutual Dependence

The Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) was swift to appreciate the package, with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stating that though he had initially been pressing for special status for Bihar, the state has now got special aid. JD(U) spokesperson K.C. Tyagi estimated the allocations would touch Rs. 1 Lakh crore, which will go a long way in building an 'Atmanirbhar' Bihar.

Bihar is headed for assembly polls next year, and thus, the stakes are high for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state, which depends on Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to retain power at the Centre. The JD(U) has held the reins in Bihar for two decades now, with relations with the BJP changing frequently. Nitish, who goes by the name 'Sushashan Babu' in his home state, is aware that he will be under intense scrutiny by both the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led opposition front and the BJP. The latter would like to occupy prime political space in Bihar in the long run. 

However, for now, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA has taken a pragmatic approach as it humours a leader known for his political flip-flops. In a way, the dependence is mutual. While the BJP needs the JD(U) at the Centre, Nitish needs to prove to his electorate that his prime objective, irrespective of his political flip-flops, is to secure the best deal for Bihar.

What The Bihar Package Includes

The aforementioned allocations for Bihar are in addition to plans for supporting the development of an industrial node at Gaya as part of the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor. The idea to develop the node at Gaya, Sitharaman said, was centred around the motto "Vikas bhi Virasat bhi", that is, development around heritage.

Bihar has also been made part of a grand 'Purvodaya" plan, which covers Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and aims to push all-round development of the eastern region. Human resource and infrastructural development as well as the generation of economic opportunities are the key goals of the programme.

The road projects announced include the Patna-Purnea Expressway, the Buxar-Bhagalpur Expressway, Bodhgaya, Rajgir, Vaishali and Darbhanga spurs, and an additional two-lane bridge over river Ganga at Buxar.

Further, in order to mitigate the perennial problem of floods that ravage the state every year, the Budget states that plans to build flood control infrastructures in Nepal are yet to progress. Also, the government will provide financial support to the tune of Rs. 11,500 crore for projects under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme and other sources. These cover the Kosi-Mechi intra-state link and 20 other ongoing and new projects, which include barrages, river pollution abatement projects, and irrigation links. The plan also envisages undertaking a survey and investigation of Kosi-related flood mitigation and irrigation projects.

Between now and the elections, the focus will be to translate these big announcements into a reality for the people of Bihar.

(K.V. Prasad is a senior Delhi-based journalist)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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"Dhire Dhire...": Nitish Kumar On Denial Of Special Status To Bihar

The Centre's decision to rule out special status for Bihar, a long-standing demand of one of the BJP's key allies, the Janata Dal United (JDU), has prompted a cryptic response from the party's president and state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. 

Ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget on Tuesday, Mr Kumar was asked about the Union Government's decision, which was communicated in a written reply in Parliament the previous day. 

Speaking to reporters outside the Bihar Assembly, the chief minister, who has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the BJP and the NDA, said, "Sab kuch dhire dhire jaan jaiyega (You will get to know everything in due course)" before waving and walking in. 

The BJP, which has failed to get a majority in the Lok Sabha on its own, was dependent on its allies to reach the magic number of 272 and form the government for the third time under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP's tally was 240 and this meant that Mr Kumar's JDU, with its 12 MPs and Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, with 16, played a crucial role in government formation. 

Mr Kumar had left the NDA and joined hands with the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, which has the RJD and the Congress as key constituents, in August 2022. He was also one of the key architects of the opposition INDIA alliance, which managed to clinch 232 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, before switching sides yet again and siding with the NDA in January. 

After the Lok Sabha elections, the JDU had held a national executive meeting and passed a resolution reiterating its demand for special status.

On Monday, after the Union government's reply came to light, leaders of the JDU, which has two ministers in the Union government, went into firefighting mode, saying that the resolution also spoke of a "special package and other types of help" and that Bihar could still get a lot of aid from the Centre.

The opposition in Bihar, led by Lalu Yadav's RJD, had, however, used the opportunity to hit out at Mr Kumar and even demand his resignation. 

"Nitish Kumar appears to have compromised Bihar's aspirations and the trust of its people for the sake of power. He had promised to secure special status for Bihar, but now that the Centre has denied it, he should resign," Mr Yadav had said. 

In a post on X, the RJD handle wrote, "Nitish Kumar and JDU leaders must enjoy the fruits of power at the Centre and continue their drama politics on special status."

Decades-Long Push

Nitish Kumar, who is Bihar's longest-serving chief minister, has been pushing for special status since 2000, when many of the state's mineral-rich regions were carved out into the state of Jharkhand. 

Special status ensures more central support to a backward state to help boost its growth and bring it on a par with others. There was no provision for special status in the constitution but it was introduced in 1969 on the recommendations of the Fifth Finance Commission. 

As of 2024, eleven states have special status. These are Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Telangana. 

Ramprit Mandal, who is a JDU MP from Bihar's Jhanjharpur, had asked the Finance Ministry if the government plans to provide special status to Bihar and other most backward states to promote economic growth and industrialisation.

In a written response, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary had said on Monday that a "case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out".

"The Special Category Status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the National Development Council (NDC) to some States that were characterized by a number of features necessitating special consideration. These features included (i) hilly and difficult terrain, (ii) low population density and/or sizeable share of tribal population, (iii) strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries, (iv) economic and infrastructural backwardness and (v) non-viable nature of State finances," the minister said. 

"Earlier, the request of Bihar for Special Category Status was considered by an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) which submitted its Report on 30th March, 2012. The IMG came to the finding that based on existing NDC criteria, the case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out," he added.

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J&K Police Flag Jaish-Made Poster Of 'Phantom' With Saif Ali Khan Pic

The Jammu and Kashmir police have flagged a propaganda video made by terror outfit Jaish and have asked people to "not forward it in any manner to anyone".

A five-minute 55-second video with a poster of 'Phantom', a 2015 Hindi film featuring Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif, was released by Jaish around 2 pm today.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued the following guidelines:

• First, they will not forward it in any manner to anyone
• Secondly, they will report by a message as to who they have received this propaganda video from. Mention the telephone number and the date and time of receiving the video.
• The Police officers shall report it to their supervisory officer and civil officers should equally report it to their supervisory officers by way of a text message.
• Under no circumstances, this video shall be forwarded. It should be remembered that the position and forwarding of the content of this nature is an offence under sections 13 and 18 of UAPA.

ALERT ‼️

A 5 minutes 55 seconds video by Jaish with a poster of the Bollywood movie Phantom with the photo of actor Saif Ali has just been released by the enemy around 2 PM today on 22 July 2024.

General public is alerted that they will do the following:
1.) first, they will…

— J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) July 22, 2024

Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed back-to-back encounters and terror attacks, with most of the incidents occurring in the Jammu region.

Today, the Indian Army repulsed a major attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district. A soldier was injured in the attack at an army camp, suggest initial reports. The security forces launched a massive search operation to flush out terrorists after the attack, said a defence spokesman.

The attack was reported less than 24 hours after Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited Jammu and discussed measures to deal with the dramatic spurt in major terrorist attacks on the army in the region that was free from terrorism till a few years ago.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have launched a major crackdown on terror networks after the deadly encounter in Doda in which four Indian Army soldiers, including an officer, were killed in action during an encounter with terrorists.

The Indian Army is also readjusting its deployments in the area as per intelligence inputs and security requirements.

The Army has deployed around 500 Para Special Forces commandos in the area to hunt down the 50-55 terrorists from Pakistan who have entered the region to revive terrorism there, defence sources told news agency ANI.

The Army has already brought in troops to the area including one brigade strength of around 3,500-4000 personnel to counter Pakistan's proxy aggression here, they said.

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Sharad Pawar Meets Eknath Shinde, Discusses Irrigation, Milk Price Issues

Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday met Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Mumbai, an official said.

Issues pertaining to irrigation, milk prices and sugar factories were discussed during the meeting, held at the state government guest house Sahyadri in Malabar Hill area, the official said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Opinion: A Trump-Vance Team Is A Nightmare For Europe

President Joe Biden's decision to drop out of the presidential race on Sunday has left everyone guessing who his replacement will be. He has backed his Vice-President, half-Indian Kamala Harris. But it's unclear at this stage whether she will indeed be the party's nominee. The Democratic Party convention next month in Chicago (August 19-22) is going to be a tumultuous one. But it is believed the party delegates might just endorse Harris before that. The endorsement at the convention will become a mere formality by then.

Not since Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1968 has any Presidential candidate dropped out of a re-election campaign. The Democratic Party appears to be in disarray. If Harris becomes the party's presidential nominee, will she be able to take on Donald Trump, who is riding on a sympathy wave since his brush with death last week? 

Many say the selection of Harris will be music to Trump's ear. Two days after the assassination attempt, the latter announced that J.D. Vance would be his running mate. The Trump-Vance team will be too hot to handle for any Democratic Party candidate, who will have no time on his or her side to give a tough fight to the duo. This might make Europe even more despondent because the last thing the Europeans want to see is the return of Trump, and his deputy becoming the Vice President. 

Doom And Gloom In Europe

In his poem The Second Coming, William Butler Yeats questions whether humanity is on the brink of a revelation or heading towards further devastation. His angst is reflected in these famous words: "Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world..." They captured the dark mood prevailing across a war-torn Europe, symbolised by the ominous image of a "rough beast slouching towards Bethlehem to be born".

Yeats's Europe was reeling from the aftermath of the First World War. Today's Europe is gripped by a similar sense of unease and chaos as the Russian onslaught in Ukraine continues to rage with no peace deal in sight. On top of that, Europe's anxiety and fear over Trump's potential return to power, especially with Vance, appears to be at its peak. The parallels between the post-war disarray that inspired Yeats to write The Second Coming and the current commotions in Europe cannot be overstated.

Understanding Vance

The prospect of a second coming of Trump was already troubling Europe's globalised, liberal world order. But the entry of Vance, a 39-year-old first-term senator from Ohio, has pushed Europeans to the edge. The possibility of Vance becoming the US Vice-President and potentially succeeding Trump as President later has raised huge concerns in Europe.

Vance shot to fame in 2016 with his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which depicted his upbringing in a struggling working-class family in the 'Rust Belt'. The book, which was later adapted as a Netflix drama, is both a personal story and a sociological analysis of the white working-class experience in America. Vance's narrative resonated with many Americans, particularly those who felt left behind by globalisation and economic change.

Vance is married to Usha Chilukuri, who is of Indian descent and a practising Hindu. They met at Yale Law School and got married in 2014. He is believed to have been influenced by his wife's Hindu faith, but not enough to prevent him from converting to Catholicism in 2019.

Why Did Trump Pick Him?

In his early years as a politician, Vance called Trump "America's Hitler". But later, he completely surrendered to Trumpism.

So why did Trump pick him as his running mate?

Vance, with a working-class background, is from Ohio and has considerable influence in the "Rust Belt" states that were once industrialised and manufacturing hubs. Trump has said in one of his social media posts that his running mate "will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond".

But Vance's influence in the "Rust Belt" region was not the only reason he was picked. His views on globalisation, immigration, NATO, and China complement those of Trump. He is being seen more as an heir apparent to Trump, considering he is not even 40.

Indians may like to see Harris win the nomination, because of her Indian connection. But Europe will certainly pin all its hope on her and pray that she comes out victorious in the November election. 

Why Is Europe Wary Of Trump And Vance?

After winning the election nearly four years ago, one of the first things President Biden did was declare to the world that "America is back". Biden was referring to the US reasserting its leadership role on the global stage, particularly after the decline of US influence during the Trump administration.

If the Trump-Vance team wins the election - which now seems likely - Europe fears that the US would once again abandon its global leadership role. Trump has previously advocated for a more isolationist and nationalist approach, prioritising American interests over international cooperation and multilateral agreements. In Hillbilly Elegy, Vance has echoed similar views on these issues.

A reduced role for the US leader on the global stage could mean less engagement in international institutions and agreements, more focus on bilateral deals and transactions, reduced commitment to global issues such as climate change and human rights, increased emphasis on national sovereignty and border control, and potential withdrawal from or renegotiation of international agreements.

Specific Concerns Of Europe

Europe believes that the Trump-Vance administration will pursue a peace deal with Russia, which could have significant implications for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Vance's views on Ukraine suggest he may prioritise a peace deal over supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity. Specifically, he has stated that Ukraine should abandon its claims over the land captured by Putin, which could be seen as a concession to Russia. He said in a 2022 interview with an American portal, "The Ukrainians have to make some hard decisions about what they're willing to give up in order to get a peace deal. And if that means giving up some territory, that's what they're going to have to do."

However, Europeans were aghast to hear his views, and now that he is Trump's running mate, they appear to be more alarmed. They vehemently argue that such concessions would embolden the Russians to invade other European countries, such as Poland. Trump, too, openly said during the first presidential debate that the war was draining out the US economy, that Putin was his friend, and that he would end the war soon after assuming office.

Europe's Security Fears

Vance once told Fox News in an interview that the US should reconsider its commitment to NATO. "I think we need to rethink our commitment to NATO. I think we need to ask ourselves, 'Why are we still bearing the burden of defending Europe?'... I think it's time for Europe to step up and defend itself," he said.

Europe is apprehensive that a Trump-Vance team could further this agenda, potentially weakening the alliance and reducing American influence in global security matters. Vance, like Trump, is also against foreign aid. It is likely their administration might cut foreign aid and reduce participation in international development programmes, and that is bound to impact global stability and humanitarian efforts.

Trade Barriers, Trade Wars

Both Trump and Vance have expressed strong support for protectionist economic policies. This could lead to higher tariffs on imported goods, renegotiation or withdrawal from international trade agreements, and a general reduction in global trade. Vance in his book laid huge emphasis on domestic production. He has held on to his views and they appear to be more than just rhetoric. His focus on boosting domestic production and reducing dependency on foreign manufacturing aligns with the broader nationalist agenda that Trump pursues. This could lead to a more insular US economy, potentially sparking trade wars and reducing global economic integration.

Protectionist policies could lead to retaliatory tariffs from other countries, sparking trade wars that harm the global economy. Efforts to bring manufacturing back to the US could disrupt global supply chains, leading to economic instability and higher prices for consumers.

Fears About Unilateral Decisions

The Trump administration was known for its unilateral approach to foreign policy, often bypassing traditional diplomatic channels and international agreements.

Biden's foreign policy, in contrast, is based on consensus politics. For example, Biden has worked on building coalition partners to counter China's rise. This has proven more effective than Trump's unilateral actions. The fear is that a Trump-Vance team might continue this trend, undermining multilateral institutions like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.

As President, Trump had withdrawn the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, arguing it was unfair to American workers. Although Biden rejoined the agreement, a Trump-Vance administration could once again ditch the pact, significantly weakening global efforts to combat climate change.

I have never seen Europe so worried before. Many leaders are already gearing up for a four-year "disruption and chaos". A few governments are already reaching out to the Trump camp, while others are struck by inertia and have accepted their fate. 

There is, however, one notable exception to this brooding atmosphere. Hungary is the only European country, also a NATO member, which has openly welcomed Trump's second coming. The Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, who is on a peace mission in Europe, said last week in a letter to European leaders that Donald Trump had a plan and he was prepared to immediately negotiate for peace in Ukraine if he won the election. 

But at what cost? That weighs heavily on everyone's mind here in Europe.

(Syed Zubair Ahmed is a London-based senior Indian journalist with three decades of experience with the Western media)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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Centre Rules Out Special Status For Bihar, Lalu Yadav's Party Takes A Swipe

The Centre has ruled out any plan to give a special category status to Bihar, a core demand by its key ally, the Janata Dal (United), prompting the Rashtriya Janata Dal to take a swipe at JDU leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.  

Ramprit Mandal, JDU MP from Bihar's Jhanjharpur, had asked the Finance Ministry if the government has a plan to provide special status to Bihar and other most backward states to promote economic growth and industrialisation.

In a written response, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said "case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out".

"The Special Category Status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the National Development Council (NDC) to some States that were characterized by a number of features necessitating special consideration. These features included (i) hilly and difficult terrain, (ii) low population density and/or sizeable share of tribal population, (iii) strategic location along borders with neighbouring countries, (iv) economic and infrastructural backwardness and (v) non-viable nature of State finances," the reply stated. "Earlier, the request of Bihar for Special Category Status was considered by an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) which submitted its Report on 30th March, 2012. The IMG came to the finding that based on existing NDC criteria, the case for Special Category Status for Bihar is not made out," it added.

A special status ensures more central support to a backward state to expedite its growth. While the Constitution does not provide for a special status for any state, it was introduced on the recommendations of the Fifth Finance Commission in 1969. Among the states that have received a special status so far are Jammu and Kashmir (now a Union Territory), Noreastern states and hill states such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

A state with a special category status gets more funding support from the Central in the Union government's schemes and several concessions in taxes.

A special status for Bihar has been a longstanding demand of the JDU. With the BJP falling short of a majority in this election and tying up with JDU, TDP and other parties to cobble up the magic figure, the Nitish Kumar-led party was expected to push hard for its core demand. The JDU also raised this demand at an all-party meeting before the budget session.

JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said the demand for a special state status for Bihar has been a priority for the JDU. "Bihar should get the status of a special state, this has been the demand of our party since the beginning. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has held big rallies for this demand. If the government feels that there is a problem in doing this, then we have demanded a special package for Bihar," he said, according to a PTI report.

With the Centre making it clear that it has no plan to grant a special status, Bihar's main Opposition RJD has hit out at the JDU, which is ruling the state in alliance with BJP. "Nitish Kumar and JDU leaders must enjoy the fruits of power at the Centre and continue their drama politics on special status," the RJD said in a post on X.

A source in the government said that the Special Category Status issue was first addressed in the National Development Council meeting in 1969. "During this meeting, the D R Gadgil Committee introduced a formula to allocate Central Assistance for state plans in India. Prior to this, there was no specific formula for fund distribution to States, and grants were given on a scheme basis. The Gadgil Formula, approved by the NDC, prioritized special category States such as Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, and Nagaland, ensuring their needs were addressed first from the pool of Central assistance."

The Special Category status concept was introduced by the 5th Finance Commission in 1969 recognising historical disadvantages of certain regions, the source said.

"Until the 2014-2015 fiscal year, the 11 States with Special Category Status benefited from various advantages and incentives. However, following the dissolution of the Planning Commission and the formation of the NITI Aayog in 2014, the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission were implemented, leading to the discontinuation of Gadgil Formula-based grants. Instead, the devolution from the divisible pool to all States was increased from 32% to 42%," the source added.

Currently, no additional States are being granted Special Category Status, as the Constitution does not provide for such categorisation, said the source in the government.

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Did Shami Take A Dig At Amit Mishra Over 'Virat' Take? Pacer's Blunt Reply

Indian cricket team fast bowler Mohammed Shami took to social media to blast 'fake' media reports that claimed he took a dig at Amit Mishra for the latter's comments on Virat Kohli. Some media reports suggested that Shami's comments on Kohli during the interview with Shubhankar Mishra on YouTube were a direct reply to Mishra who claimed that Kohli has changed due to 'fame and power'. However, Shami rubbished any such rumours and even said that it is his request to new outlets that they check and verify their stories. “Disappointed to see false information circulating about Amit Mishra. It's humble request to verify news sources before publishing,” Shami posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Disappointed to see false information circulating about Amit Mishra. It's humble request to verify news sources before publishing. Requesting @News24sportss to take down the story and issue a correction. @MishiAmit @shubhankrmishra #StopFakeNews #Cricket pic.twitter.com/dlD5n6Qed1

— (@MdShami11) July 20, 2024

When asked about his friends in the Indian cricket team, Shami took the names of Kohli and Ishant Sharma. "Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma are my best friends. They constantly kept calling me when I was injured," the fast bowler answered during the interview.

The comments were taken by some as a direct reply to Amit Mishra who claimed in an earlier episode of the show that Kohli has very few friends in the team as he has changed quite a bit over time.

"I won't lie. As a cricketer, I respect him a lot, but I don't share the same equation with him as I used to. Why does Virat have less friends? His and Rohit's natures are different," he said.

"I haven't been part of the Indian team in years. Still when I meet Rohit during the IPL or any other event, he is always joking with me. I don't need to think what he will think. We joke with each other. He is at the top but we still have maintained that rapport. He is the captain, won the World Cup and five IPL titles."

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At Mamata Banerjee's Rally, Show Of Strength, A Message For Bangladesh

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that the state would offer shelter to anyone in distress who knocks on their door. Her remarks come amid violent protests in Bangladesh that have already resulted in the death of 151 people. What began as a protest against politicised admission quotas for sought-after government jobs snowballed this week into some of the worst unrest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's tenure.

Ms Banerjee said that though she did not have the power to speak on the affairs of Bangladesh, and even India's official stand would be taken by the Centre, she would help those in distress who seek help from Bengal.

She referred to the United Nations Resolution on refugees as justification for her stand over the possible humanitarian crisis.

"I should not be speaking on the affairs of Bangladesh since it's another country. Whatever needs to be said on the issue is a subject matter of the Centre. But I only can say, if helpless people knock on Bengal's doors, we will shelter them," the Trinamool Congress chief said at the 'Martyrs Day' rally in Kolkata.

"That's because there is a United Nations Resolution to accommodate refugees in regions adjacent to those under turmoil," Ms Banerjee added while drawing an example from Assamese people who were allowed to live in the Alipurduars area of north Bengal for a considerable period during the Bodo strife in the northeastern state.

Mamata Banerjee also expressed her solidarity with the people who have remained at the receiving end of the ongoing violence in the neighbouring country.

“We are sad to see blood getting spilt and my heart goes out to those students who were killed,” she said.

With the death count climbing and police unable to contain the violent protests, the Bangladesh government on Friday imposed a national curfew and deployed the military. Soldiers are patrolling cities across Bangladesh after riot police failed to restore order, while a nationwide internet blackout has drastically restricted the flow of information to the outside world.

Nearly 1,000 Indian students have returned to India from Bangladesh through various land transit points or by flight. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the Foreign Ministry is fully focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indians in Bangladesh.

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In Madhya Pradesh, Panel Of IAS Officers To Tackle Stray Dog Menace

The Madhya Pradesh government has appointed seven senior IAS officers to manage the escalating stray dog menace across the state. The stray dog crisis has become a significant concern, not only on the streets and in residential areas but also within government premises. 

The Madhya Pradesh General Administration Department has issued an order forming a committee of 15 members, including IAS officers up to the level of Additional Chief Secretary. 

Over 21,000 dog bite cases have been reported in Madhya Pradesh annually. In the past five years, stray dogs have killed five people including those who died from rabies. 

In Bhopal alone, hospitals receive an average of 55 cases of dog bites daily. 

On July 1, Kunal from Lalghati in Bhopal, was mauled by a dog, requiring eight stitches. Five days later, 16-year-old Ravi Sahu was attacked by stray dogs while visiting a shrine in Raisen with his family. On July 9, a man in Sethani Ghat, Hoshangabad was attacked by stray dogs, resulting in deep wounds on his leg.

While the government says the decision was driven by alarming data, the opposition claims it highlights governmental failures. "We have taken this decision after thoroughly examining our data. Our priority is to save lives, which is why we have formed this committee of officers," Animal husbandry minister Lakhan Patel said.

But the situation on ground is dire. While the Bhopal Municipal Corporation's shelter home is overcrowded with stray dogs, dozens of people queue up every day in hospitals to get rabies injections. 

Hospital data reveals alarming figures. In 2022, over 8,124 dog bite incidents were recorded and in 2023, the number almost doubled to 16,387.  In the first five months of 2024, as many as 7,728 cases of dog bites have been reported.

However, organisations working for animal welfare have welcomed the decision. "This government step is commendable. These senior officials will make good decisions and solve the problems," Swati Gaurav, President, People for Animals, said.

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"Fix Deployed": CEO Of Firm Behind Global Microsoft Outage

In its first statement after the massive Microsoft outage caused by an update to CrowdStrike 'Falcon Sensor', the security firm's CEO has said the issue has been isolated and a fix has been deployed.

The bug has affected many stock exchanges, supermarkets and flight operations across the globe. Users are experiencing the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error, which is causing their systems to shut down or restart unexpectedly. 

In a statement on X, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said that the company is working with customers who have been impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts, adding that Mac- and Linux-based systems have not been affected.

Emphasising that the outage is not a security incident or cyberattack, he wrote,  "The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website."

CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We…

— George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024

"We further recommend organizations ensure they're communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers," he added.

What Microsoft Said

In a statement earlier on Friday, Microsoft said, "We remain committed in treating this event with the highest priority and urgency while we continue to address the lingering impact for the Microsoft 365 apps that are in a degraded state."

"Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions," it added.

Workarounds

In an advisory, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has said the following method can be used as a workaround:

- Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory Locate the file matching "C-00000291*.sys", and delete it.

- Boot the host normally.

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"Reason Identified, Updates Released": India On Massive Microsoft Outage

Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw today said the government is "in touch" with the US tech giant Microsoft regarding the global outage that has affected multiple sectors across the world.

In a post on X, the Minister also said the reason for the Microsoft outage has been "identified" and updates have been released to resolve the issue. 

"NIC network is not affected," Mr Vaishnaw said, referring to the National Informatics Centre's (NIC) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) network, NICNET, which is a pan-India communication network that provides services to the central and state governments.

MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage.

The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue.

CERT is issuing a technical advisory.

NIC network is not affected.

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 19, 2024

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) issued a technical advisory and said it has been reported that "Windows hosts related to Crowd strike agent 'Falcon Sensor' are facing outages and getting crashed due to recent update received in the product.

"The concerned windows hosts are experiencing a 'Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)' related to Falcon Sensor," the advisory added.

The issues occurred in the latest update of CrowdStrike and the changes have been reverted by their team, the CERT said.

It also said if hosts are still crashing and unable to stay online to receive the Channel File Changes, the following steps can be used as work around for this issue: Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory Locate the file matching “C-00000291*.sys”, and delete it.

"Boot the host normally," it added.

Microsoft 'Blue Screen Of Death' Outage

Services across multiple sectors were affected worldwide today due to a technical problem at Microsoft and American cyber security company Crowdstrike.

Millions of Microsoft Windows users were experiencing the "Blue Screen of Death" error that caused their computers to shut down or restart.

Microsoft said the preliminary root cause was a "configuration change" in a portion of its Azure backend workloads. It caused interruption between storage and compute resources which resulted in connectivity failures that affected downstream Microsoft 365 services dependent on these connections, the company said.

"Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions," Microsoft said in a post on X.

Services Affected In India Due To Microsoft Outage

Several airlines in India reported that their systems across the network were impacted by the outage in Microsoft. 

Air India said its "digital systems have been impacted temporarily due to the current Microsoft outage resulting in delays".

Indigo, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet also reported similar disruptions. 

The users were also unable to access various Microsoft apps and services. Microsoft 365, Microsoft Team, and Microsoft Azure were among the services that were affected.

According to the outage tracking website Downdetector, some users also complained that they were facing issues while using the following apps: Instagram, Amazon, Gmail, the State Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Bank of India, and HDFC Bank.

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90% Flights Disrupted In Bengaluru Terminal 1 Due To Microsoft Outage

The global Microsoft outage has affected 90 per cent flights operating from Bengaluru airport's Terminal 1, sources have said. IndiGo airlines officials said the situation is likely to continue till midnight.

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Steve Jobs' "3rd-Rate Products" Jab At Microsoft Amid Global Cloud Outage

Microsoft makes "third-rate products" - Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' damning assessment of the Seattle-based software giant, made back in 1995, went viral Friday as the company battles a major Windows outage issue that has affected millions of users, including commercial services like airlines.

Microsoft Inc. said the error was due to a recent CrowdStrike update, and that it is working recover all affected services. In a detailed post on X the company said it is also "working on rerouting impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion".

Meanwhile, as the company races to resolve the problem, an interview Steve Jobs gave nearly three decades ago has re-emerged online and has been widely shared.

"The only problems with Microsoft is that they have no taste... they have absolutely no taste. I don't mean that in a small way... I mean that in a big way. They don't think of original ideas and don't bring much culture into their products," Jobs told Bob Cringely, the tech journalist.

Steve Jobs about Microsoft - They make third class products. Today many people would be feeling it.#Microsoft #bluescreen #Windows

pic.twitter.com/IYnKvGaFaf

— Ashutosh Mishra (@caashutosh22) July 19, 2024

"... you say, 'Well, why is that important?' Well, proportionally-spaced fonts come from typesetting and beautiful books. That's where one gets the idea (and) if it weren't for the Mac, they would never have that in their products," he explained.

"And so, I guess I am saddened... not by Microsoft's success. I have no problem with their success. They've earned their success... for the most part."

"I have a problem with the fact that they just make really third-rate products."

Microsoft Cloud Outage Explained

According to Microsoft's Service Health Status updates, the preliminary root cause is "a configuration change in a portion of our Azure backend workloads (that has) caused interruption between storage and compute resources, and which (has) resulted in connectivity failures..."

NDTV Explains | What Is Causing Dreaded Windows 'Blue Screen Of Death'?

These failures affected "downstream (and dependent) Microsoft 365 services".

CrowdStrike Engineering - a cybersecurity services firm that works with Microsoft - has identified a content deployment related to this issue and reverted those changes, and posted steps for resolution for affected Windows users.

READ | Windows Systems Restarting, Throwing 'Blue Screen Of Death' Errors

Services, including critical providers like police and government, across the world have been affected.

Microsoft Services Affected In India

In India, SpiceJet has said it is experiencing "technical challenges" that have affected online ticket booking and check-in, as well as other functionalities.

" We kindly request passengers with upcoming travel plans to arrive at the airport earlier than usual to complete check-in at our counters," the airline said on X.

READ | Microsoft 'Blue Screen Of Death': Full List Of Services Hit In India

New airline Akasa Air and industry veterans IndiGo have put out similar messages. Flight services at Chennai and Mumbai airports have also begun to be affected, sources have told NDTV.

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Opinion: Bengaluru Blues: When Policies Clash With Progress

What happens when reckless and selfish populism collides with a $245 billion tech industry? 
Chaos, anxiety, and a severe dent in the reputation of one of the world's most sought-after talent hubs. Bengaluru, home to tech giants from Apple to Walmart, is shaping the world's future and is now also becoming infamous for some baffling policy flip-flops.

In Karnataka's approach, it feels like they're flipping between policies - 100% job reservations one day, none the next, something in between after - with no precise data or rationale, gambling with India's IT and startup hub. 

Meanwhile, halfway across the world, the U.S. rolls the red carpet for entrepreneurs. Under the International Entrepreneur Rule, founders can secure a stay of up to five years if their startups show potential for rapid growth. This clear, supportive U.S. policy is attracting frustrated founders in Bengaluru, making relocation an attractive option. As the U.S. opens its doors, Karnataka is slamming theirs shut, pushing its innovators away.

As if navigating Bengaluru's potholed roads peppered with craters, dodging dangerously weaving water tankers at all hours, and mourning our dying lakes swallowed by real estate greed weren't enough, the city's political rulers have unearthed a fresh way to inflict pain. 

The IT and startup hubs of Whitefield, Sarjapur, and Electronic City are already reeling under daily logistical torture. These areas are powerhouses, fueling millions of jobs and generating significant tax revenue. Yet, why are the city's true builders, the very architects of its economic dynamism, so often made to feel insignificant and powerless?

Startup founders and the broader IT industry in Karnataka, including heavyweights like Nasscom, are fed up with the state's erratic job reservation policies. Nasscom has been blunt, warning that these rules could drive companies out of the state and take jobs and investments with them.

That frustration reached a boiling point when PhonePe's CEO, Sameer Nigam, called the Karnataka job quota bill a "shame." 

It was a raw, unfiltered moment that captured the broader sentiment in the tech community. Nigam's personal narrative of living across states due to his father's naval career adds another layer to the debate: Isn't it downright unfair to those who've thrown their lot in with Bengaluru, believing in its promise and contributing to its prosperity?

Why the back-and-forth? The government is testing out policies in real-time, trying to see what the electorate might tolerate. This is similar to A/B testing in tech development, where two versions are tested to see which one works better. 

Except here, it's not a harmless trial. It's playing fast and loose with the backbone of a booming industry. 

(Pankaj Mishra has been a journalist for over two decades and is the co-founder of FactorDaily.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

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Gambhir's 5 Coaching Staff Suggestions Rejected, Only 1 Agreed: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains in the hunt for new support staff after appointing Gautam Gambhir as the senior men's team's new head coach. Gambhir himself has also been quite keen to wrap up the search for his coaching staff soon, though his suggestions for different roles in the team haven't reportedly been well received by the board. Gambhir had suggested the names of R Vinay Kumar, Morne Morkel, Abhishek Nayar, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Jonty Rhodes, and Laxmipathy Balaji for different roles, but the board seems to be in agreement on only one of these players.

As per a report in the Economic Times, the BCCI has rejected all of Gambhir's suggestions, barring Abhishek Nayar, who works as Kolkata Knight Riders' assistant coach at present. Though no formal announcement has taken place, the BCCI is reportedly in agreement with Gambhir's request to add him as coaching staff.

But, the bowling and fielding coach's spots remain wide open, with the board not keen to appoint Morkel, Vinay Kumar Balaji, Rhodes, or Ten Doeschate to these roles. In the past, the BCCI has given a free hand to Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid to select their coaching staff. But, the same doesn't seem to be true for Gambhir.

The BCCI reportedly wants Zaheer Khan as the next bowling coach of the Indian team. Zaheer, one of the finest pacers to have played the game, picked up 311 Test wickets in 92 matches and overall 610 scalps in 309 international matches across all formats for India. He is considered one of the greatest left-arm pacers to have played the sport.

Balaji's name was reportedly also discussed. He represented Team India in eight Test matches where he has managed to snap 27 wickets at an average of 37.18. On the other hand, he bagged 34 wickets in 30 ODIs at an average of 39.52.

The term of Paras Mahambrey, who was the bowling coach of team India when Rahul Dravid was the head coach, has come to an end. As for the fielding coach, it has also been reported that T Dilip's tenure could be extended.

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