South Asia

Sanaa, Jan 15 (IANS) The US and the UK have conducted a new strike on Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV has reported.

The strike conducted on Sunday evening targeted the Jad'a mountain in the Alluheyah district in the northern part of the city, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the report.

The strike was the latest in a series of similar air raids carried out by US and British warplanes in the past three days.

The US and the UK have stated that the strikes came in an attempt to deter the Yemeni Houthi group from launching further attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, a vital waterway for global trade.

The Houthis said that their operations in the Red Sea aimed to prevent what it called "Israeli-linked ships" from passing through the Red Sea until Israel ends its attack and siege on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza Strip.

On Saturday, the Houthis said the recent airstrikes on their positions by the US and the UK would not deter them from continuing attacks on Israeli targets, vowing to launch more strikes soon.

Hodeidah, under the control of the Houthis, is a lifeline for delivering humanitarian aid and commercial supplies to Yemen, which has been mired in a civil war since 2015.

--IANS

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Jerusalem, Jan 15 (IANS) As the bloody Israel-Hamas conflict entered its 100th day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to continue the military campaign in the Gaza Strip until "total victory" is achieved.

"We must conduct this war, and it will yet take many months," Netanyahu said on Sunday despite growing international calls to halt the war due to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

During his weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu presented a 2024 budget proposal to his government, seeking approval for a plan that involves tax hikes and the implementation of a uniform 3 per cent reduction in the budgets of all government ministries to secure funding for the ongoing war against Hamas, Xinhua news agency reported.

"At this moment, what is required is, first of all, to cover the expenses of the war and to allow us to continue the war and complete it," Netanyahu told ministers.

His remarks came as Israel awaited a ruling by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, with a possible decision against its massive offensive in Gaza.

Launched following the Hamas assault on October 7, 2023, Israel's relentless strikes in the densely-populated Palestinian enclave have killed at least 23,843 people, with approximately 75 per cent of them being women, children, and the elderly, according to the Hamas-run government media office.

The strikes have displaced most of Gaza's about 2.3 million population and levelled many parts of the territory.

Since Saturday, thousands of Israelis have rallied in Tel Aviv and other major cities, calling for the return of the hostages and the replacement of the government.

During the October 7 rampage, Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people, including 790 civilians, and kidnapped over 200 people, 132 of whom are still being held in Gaza.

According to figures released by the Israeli military on Sunday, since the commencement of the war, its troops have killed approximately 9,000 militants in Gaza.

Additionally, 170 militants from the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Palestinian factions were killed in clashes with Israeli forces on the Lebanon front.

The Israeli army, mobilizing about 295,000 reservists, has launched attacks on around 30,000 locations in the 365 square km Palestinian enclave and 750 locations in Lebanon.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday in a speech that his group "doesn't fear war, and there are no talks before the war on Gaza ends."

According to Nasrallah, "Israel is mired in failure and is in a deep hole... It has not reached any of its declared and undeclared goals as unanimously stated by the Israelis themselves."

--IANS

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Tel Aviv, Jan 15 (IANS) Israel's President Isaac Herzog has said that the families of the hostages are not alone and cannot be left alone.

He was addressing the nation from Hostage Plaza here on Sunday.

Herzog said, "Bringing back the hostages transcends any debate or disagreement. A united nation stands with you around the obligation to return all the hostages home."

The families of the hostages called for the continued mobilization of Israel’s citizens and appealed to the Security Cabinet to take action for the immediate release of all the hostages.

"One hundred long days of captivity. One hundred long days of solitude. They are held cruelly in the dark, in tunnels, without medical care, suffering terribly. One hundred days of worry and fear, of uncertainty. One hundred days in which the heart of an entire nation beats together with you, beloved families," the President said addressing the families of hostages at the "100 Days of Hell" rally.

Herzog said, "Dear families, I have an important message for you: You are not alone and you cannot be left alone. Not now and not ever. An entire united nation stands together with you around the obligation to return all the hostages home and restore security for all Israeli citizens, because bringing back the hostages transcends any debate or disagreement. This is a profound moral imperative, an imperative of a people and a state."

"The issue of the hostages must not fall off the public and global agenda, and I pledge to continue working towards this in any way possible and with all means at my disposal. For our sake and theirs," he added.

The President also called upon people to strengthen the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops and security forces who are risking their lives to defeat the enemy and bring the hostages home.

--IANS

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Bhubaneswar, Jan 14 (IANS) One of the crew members of the container ship, 'MV Debi', that has been detained by the Customs officials at Paradip port following the recovery of cocaine valued at around Rs 220 crore in December last year, on Sunday reportedly jumped into the sea.

Sources claimed that the Vietnamese national had slit his hand before jumping off the deck.

He has suffered severe hand injuries while jumping into the sea. The crew member,working as the third engineer of the ship, was rescued and admitted to the Paradip Port Authority Hospital for treatment.

However, the doctors later referred him to SCB medical college and hospital at Cuttack for advanced treatment.

Police official on the condition of anonymity said the crew members are under mental depression and he might have tried to commit suicide.

However, Customs official or local police authorities are yet to issue any official statement in this connection.

Notably, Customs officials seized cocaine weighing 22 kg valued at around Rs 220 crore from the Panama registered container ship during a search on November 30 and December 1, 2023.

The Denmark-bound ship reached Paradip International Cargo Terminal at the Paradip port on November 29.

The ship with around 21 crew members has been detained since.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 25 (IANS) Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt hosted an intimate Christmas celebration at his residence, which was attended by his daughters Alia Shaheen, and Pooja, Ranbir Kapoor, Karan Johar and others.

The videos shows the ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ actress wearing a green coloured one shoulder dress, with her hair tied in a bun, and a Christmas Santa headband on her head.

Alia completed the look with silver stilettos and a matching small handbag.

Ranbir was wearing a white shirt with black sleeveless jacket, and beige coloured trousers.

The ‘Brahmastra’ actor completed his look with sneakers.

Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji, and Karan Johar were also spotted at the venue.

The video shows KJo giving a warm hug to sisters Alia and Shaheen. Shaheen wore a black satin dress for the celebrations.

KJo took to the Instagram Stories and posted a picture with Pooja Bhatt.

He wrote: “Was so happy to spend an evening with someone I have known 3 decades ... shared diets and crazy stories to how superbly she held herself with such dignity in big boss! Merry Xmas Pooja!!! Big love to you”.

--IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 25 (IANS) Veteran star Sharmila Tagore was seen talking about her actor son Saif Ali Khan and revealed some interesting anecdotes about his college days.

In the upcoming episode of Koffee with Karan, Saif Ali Khan and Sharmila Tagore will be seen as guests. From their iconic roles to family tales, this episode is a tribute to their regal legacy and a peek into their fabulous journey.

As Saif Ali Khan looked a little lost, Karan Johar asked: “Yes Saif, you are looking bewildered?”

“As I often am on this couch,” said Saif.

Curious as ever, Karan asked: “The story I really want to know is about the college.”

Spilling the beans, Sharmila said: “He didn't go to the university, he asked the air hostess out and they went off somewhere.”

‘Koffee with Karan’ Season 8 is airing on Disney+ Hotstar.

--IANS

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Moscow, Dec 25 (IANS) A fire that had erupted on Russia's nuclear-powered container ship Sevmorput was put out, authorities said.

No one was injured in the incident, which occurred in one of the cabins of the vessel and affected an area of some 30 square meters, the emergency department of Murmansk region said in a statement, Xinhua News Agency reported.

There was no threat to the nuclear plant of the container ship, it said.

Sevmorput is the world's only icebreaking transport ship with a nuclear power plant. It can navigate through ice fields up to one meter thick at a speed of about two knots.

--IANS

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Islamabad, Dec 25 (IANS) Pakistan witnessed highest number of suicide attacks since 2014 during this year, with nearly half of them targeting the security forces, media reports said.

According to statistics released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) -- regarding suicide attacks in 2023 -- the country experienced a disturbing surge in such attacks, reaching the highest level since 2014, Dawn reported.

At least 48 per cent of deaths and 58 per cent of injuries were inflicted upon security forces personnel. “A staggering 29 suicide attacks were reported, resulting in the tragic loss of 329 lives and leaving 582 individuals injured.

“This marks the highest death toll since 2013 when 683 people lost their lives in 47 suicide bombings,” Dawn reported.

Comparing the data to the preceding year, 2022, report reveals a distressing 93pc increase in the number of suicide attacks, a shocking 226 per cent rise in resultant deaths, and a troubling 101 per cent surge in the number of injured individuals.

Furthermore, the share of suicide attacks in the total number of attacks escalated from 3.9 per cent in 2022 to 4.7per cent in 2023, underscoring the severity of the situation.

Delving into regional specifics, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) bore the brunt of these attacks, reporting 23 instances that resulted in 254 fatalities and 512 injuries. Within KP, newly merged districts or erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) experienced 13 suicide attacks, leading to 85 deaths and 206 injuries. Baluchistan faced five attacks, causing 67 deaths and 52 injuries, while Sindh witnessed one suicide attack resulting in eight deaths and 18 injuries.

The data further reveals that security forces were the primary targets of these attacks, with civilians constituting the second-largest victim category, Dawn reported.

A visual representation in the form of pie charts illustrates that 48pc of deaths and 58pc of injuries were inflicted upon security forces personnel.

Examining the historical trajectory, PICSS’s militancy database indicates a notable decline in suicide attacks from 30 in 2014 to a mere three in 2019. There was no significant surge in 2020 and 2021, as both years witnessed only four attacks each, Dawn reported.

The year 2022 witnessed a sudden and significant surge, recording 15 attacks resulting in 101 deaths and 290 injuries and this worrisome trend persisted into 2023.

--IANS

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Kolkata, Dec 25 (IANS) Two persons died while six other were rescued in critical conditions inside a storeroom of a popular sweetmeat outlet at Durgapur in West Bengal’s Burdwan district on Monday.

The deaths occurred due to the gas leak from a cooking LPG cylinder which was also stored at the same storeroom. The bodies of the two deceased were recovered while six others have been rescued under critical conditions on Monday morning.

The two deceased persons have been identified as Bidhan Mondal (21) and Atanu Ruidas (22). All the dead and sick are residents of the Beliatore in Bankura district of West Bengal.

The sick persons are currently under treatment at a local hospital. Local police sources said that the mishap probably happened sometime between late Sunday night and early Monday morning.

“One of the employees, before falling unconscious, had sent a SOS call to the owner of the sweetmeat outlet, who immediately reached near the storeroom. However, he found the door of the storeroom locked from inside and his repeated banging of the door failed to evoke response,” said a local police official.

Thereafter the owner with the help of his associates broke open the door and also informed the local police station. The bodies of the two deceased victims were recovered and six others were shifted to the local hospital.

Initial investigation revealed that gas leak, in a sparsely ventilated storeroom, was the main reason behind the mishap.

--IANS

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San Francisco, Dec 25 (IANS) American energy technology company Enphase, led by Indian-origin Badri Kothandaraman, is laying off 10 per cent of its global workforce, impacting approximately 350 contractors and employees.

According to Enphase President and CEO Kothandaraman, the move is to streamline operations by ceasing contract manufacturing operations in two locations in the US and resizing other contract manufacturing sites.

“We have decided to reduce our global workforce by approximately 10 per cent, impacting approximately 350 contractors and employees. In addition, we will continue our hiring and travel freeze through 2024 and cut discretionary spending on several other fronts,” he said in a message to employees.

Kothandaraman took full accountability for the decision.

“I understand this is difficult for all of us, especially when it impacts our valued colleagues and friends who are departing. We will treat our departing colleagues with the utmost respect and empathy, provide them with severance packages, engage in consultation where required, and support them with their transitions,” he wrote.

Headquartered in Fremont, California, Enphase develops and manufactures solar micro-inverters, battery energy storage, and EV charging stations primarily for residential customers.

The company has shipped more than 48 million microinverters to 2.5 million solar systems in more than 140 countries.

Kothandaraman said that over the last 12 months, the solar market has seen a lot of turbulence worldwide.

In the US, high interest rates have caused a significant drop in consumer demand, while “California's NEM 3.0 transition continues to create further uncertainty”.

“These challenges have caused our topline revenue to decrease. In response, we must right-size the company and get our non-GAAP operating expenses to be within a range of $75 million to $80 million per quarter in 2024,” said the CEO.

The company’s worldwide micro-inverter contract manufacturing operations currently have a combined capacity of approximately 10 million units per quarter.

“We are planning to reduce that capacity to approximately 7.25 million units per quarter to be closer aligned to the expected demand. To that end, we are ceasing operations at our contract manufacturing locations in Timisoara, Romania and Wisconsin, United States, and resizing our other contract manufacturing sites,” Kothandaraman announced.

--IANS

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