An Indian-American Republican candidate, who is contesting for the upcoming general election to the New York state assembly district 16, has apologised for a tweet targeting the Muslim community, saying his intent was never to hurt anyone. Vibhuti Jha, 70, who has now deleted the tweet, is running against Democrat Gina Sillitti for the New York state assembly district 16 elections. “I deleted a tweet that appeared several months ago forwarded by someone to me! I believe some of the Muslim groups were unhappy about the content & comparison made therein. I confirm the intent was never to hurt anyone,” Jha tweeted. “I want to add I have very good Muslim friends - we share mutual respect for each other and share jokes and laughter in these difficult times. Friendship is all about sharing joy, anger. We have to face our challenges together,”he said.
100-year-old to fight Nepal polls against former PM
A centenarian freedom fighter, Tika Dutta Pokharel, will be the oldest candidate in Nepal’s parliamentary election to be held on November 20, contesting against former PM Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and aims to turn the nation into a Hindu state again. Pokharel turned 100 last week. His health is sound, can walk and talk very well and is active in politics, said Sushil Man Serchan, president of Nepali Congress (BP), a breakaway faction of the governing Nepali Congress. “There is no real leader in the country and those who claim themselves as leaders have come just to earn money,” Serchan quoted Pokharel as saying. “I have filed my candidacy to give rights to the people and to turn our country into a Hindu state again,” said Pokharel, who is contesting the polls for the first time. Nepal abolished its 239-year-old Hindu monarchy in 2008.
Border dispute: Nepal PM calls for ‘diplomacy’
Nepal’s PM Sher Bahadur Deuba at a poll rally in Dadeldhura, bordering Uttarakhand’s Champawat district, said that “the border dispute with India will be solved through dialogue and diplomacy.” This news comes after former PM KP Sharma Oli had raised Kalapani issue at a poll rally in Darchula, saying “Nepal will not give up a single inch of her territory and retake all land that has been occupied by others.” Deuba, however, avoided using the word ‘Kalapani’, an area which is a bone of contention between the two countries, but made a veiled reference to it.
N Korea fires 23 missiles, one lands near South coast
North Korea fired at least 23 missiles into the sea, including one that landed less than 60 km off South Korea’s coast, which the South’s President Yoon Suk-yeol described as “territorial encroachment”. It was the first time a ballistic missile had landed near the South’s waters since the peninsula was divided in 1945, and the most missiles fired by the North in a single day. South Korean warplanes fired three air-to-ground missiles into the sea north across the NLL in response, the South’s military said. An official said the weapons used included an AGM-84H/K SLAMER, which is a US-made “stand-off” precision attack weapon that can fly for up to 270 km with a 360-kg warhead. The South’s launches came after Yoon’s office vowed a “swift and firm response”.
Kenya's largest tusked elephant is dead
A female elephant, believed to be Kenya's largest tusked elephant, has died of old age in the east African country, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said. Dida, known for her long tusks, was estimated to be between 60 and 65 years old. The life expectancy of elephants in the wild is estimated at around 60 years. "She died of natural causes due to her old age," the Kenya Wildlife Service announced in a tweet. The elephant lived in the vast Tsavo National Park in south-eastern Kenya, known for its wildlife. Dida "led her herd through many seasons and difficult times," according to the KWS.
China’s ‘out of control’ rocket booster headed back to Earth
A massive Chinese rocket booster is headed for an uncontrolled fall through the atmosphere, sparking concerns that pieces of the giant vehicle could crash to Earth. It’s the fourth time in two years a large Chinese rocket has headed for an uncontrolled impact and that has many space industry experts crying foul. Both the US and Europe adhere to a rule that any space debris that is disposed of over the Earth must not exceed a one-in-10,000 chance that it will cause an injury on the ground. The falling booster is the large core stage of the Long March 5B rocket launched on October 31. The rocket lofted an experimental laboratory module called Mengtian, meant to dock with China’s space station,Tiangong.
Iranians knock turbans off clerics' head
As protests over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini continue in Iran, young Iranians are now videoing themselves knocking the turbans off the heads of clerics. Several videos showing schoolboys and girls kicking clerics' turbans and fleeing as part of the continuing anti-hijab rallies have gone viral on social media. In one viral clip, on a nearly quiet road, a young girl can be seen running up behind a cleric and ripping off his turban. The cleric could be seen stooping down to pick up his turban and the girl kept fleeing without pausing to glance behind her. "Removing the turbans of clerics has turned into an act of protest after regime killed hundreds of innocent protesters," the caption of the video read. In another clip, a cleric was seen picking up his turban from the middle of the road. "Removing the turbans of clerics has turned into a daily routine for Iranian teenagers," the post's caption read.
Finnish PM cleared of misconduct
Finnish PM Sanna Marin was cleared of misconduct following an official inquiry after a leaked video showed the 36-year-old partying last August. Dozens of complaints were filed to Finland’s chancellor of justice after the PM was shown dancing and partying with friends and celebrities. But the chancellor, an independent office responsible for overseeing the legality of government activities and to which any citizen can lodge complaints, concluded that Marin had not neglected her duties as PM. There was “no reason to suspect the PM of unlawful conduct in the performance of her duties or of neglect of her official duties,” chancellor of justice Tuomas Poysti concluded.
Climate activists hurl pea soup at Van Gogh in Rome
A group of activists threw pea soup at a Vincent Van Gogh masterpiece in a protest they warned will continue until more attention was paid to climate change. “The Sower”, an 1888 painting by the Dutch artist depicting a farmer sowing his land under a dominating sun, was exhibited behind glass and undamaged, according to news reports. Climate activists from Last Generation said the attack carried out by four individuals was “a desperate and scientifically grounded cry that cannot be understood as mere vandalism”. “Non-violent direct actions will continue until citizens get answers from their government on the demands to stop gas and coal and to invest in at least 20 GW of renewables,” they said.
27-year-old to lead French far right outfit
Jordan Bardella, a 27-year-old, saw his status as rising star of the far right confirmed, after party members elected him to succeed veteran leader Marine Le Pen as head of the National Rally. The Paris-born politician was the odds-on favourite to take over the party after Le Pen decided to step back from the role after 11 years at the helm. Formerly known as the National Front, the party had been run by Le Pen’s father Jean-Marie for 40 years before that. Bardella is now the first party chief outside the family dynasty in a half-century. Not that the ultra-loyal protege, who was elected to the European parliament in 2019, is planning to try to overshadow her.
