INTERNATIONAL

Former US President Donald Trump has proposed that the United States should "take over" the Gaza Strip as he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the ongoing ceasefire with Hamas, Voice of America reported. At a joint press conference, Trump said, "The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We'll own it." He outlined a plan to remove unexploded bombs, demolish destroyed buildings, and "create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing." Trump also reiterated his stance that Gaza's two million residents should relocate to other Middle Eastern countries like Egypt and Jordan. "It should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have really stood there and fought for...

Chandrika Tandon won the Grammy for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album for Triveni at the 67th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, surpassing Indian nominees Ricky Kej (Break of Dawn) and Anoushka Shankar (Chapter II: How Dark It Is Before Dawn). Raised in Chennai and the sister of former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, Tandon is a business leader and musician who was previously nominated in 2011. Her winning album, Triveni, is a collaboration with South African flautist Wouter Kellerman and Japanese cellist Eru Matsumoto. The album weaves Vedic chants with global musical elements, creating a meditative and reflective soundscape. Other Indian-origin nominees included British artist Radhika Vekaria for Warriors of Light and Anoushka Shankar’s collaboration with Jacob Collier on A Rock Somewh...

Salwan Momika, the Iraqi Christian who gained international attention for burning copies of the Quran in multiple protests across Sweden in 2023, has been shot dead. The incident occurred on January 29, 2025, a day before a Stockholm court was scheduled to deliver a ruling on whether he was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred. Momika's actions, which sparked widespread outrage in Muslim-majority countries, had drawn significant criticism and led to protests around the world. Swedish police confirmed that a man had been killed in a shooting the day before, but did not initially release the identity. The Stockholm court, which was set to announce its verdict on the case, postponed the ruling, citing the death of one of the defendants involved. Authorities have yet to provide furt...

Dr. Khalid Shah, a renowned scientist from Kashmir, has introduced a "safety switch" mechanism to eliminate cancer-killing cells after their therapeutic role is complete. This innovation, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on January 16, enhances the safety of cell-based therapies while boosting the immune system to combat tumors. Laboratory models showed improved survival rates and tumor suppression. Building on his earlier work, where he engineered cancer cells to destroy glioblastoma—the deadliest brain cancer—Dr. Shah’s latest development addresses safety concerns in cell-based treatments. His prior therapies utilized tumor cells to deliver targeted agents, overcoming challenges in drug delivery. Dr. Shah, currently Vice Chairman of Research at Harvard Me...

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has expressed gratitude towards Iran and the regional Resistance Front following the recent ceasefire agreement, marking the end of a 15-month-long Israeli assault on Gaza. In a speech on January 15, 2025, Khalil al-Hayya, deputy head of Hamas' Political Bureau, praised the steadfastness of Palestinians in Gaza and thanked allies such as Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Yemen's Armed Forces, and Iraqi resistance groups for their support during the conflict. Al-Hayya highlighted Hezbollah's sacrifices, including the loss of hundreds of fighters, and acknowledged their contributions to the liberation efforts in al-Quds (Jerusalem). The ceasefire follows widespread retaliatory actions from resistance groups across the region, including operations ...

In a significant breakthrough, Qatar announced on Wednesday that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza, set to begin on Sunday, alongside a phased exchange of hostages and prisoners. This tentative deal offers a glimmer of hope to a region devastated by 15 months of relentless violence that has left over 38,000 Palestinians dead, including more than 15,000 children, and displaced the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble, with nearly 90% of schools damaged or destroyed, disrupting education for over 625,000 students, while thousands of mosques, churches, homes, and cultural landmarks have been obliterated. Less than half of Gaza’s hospitals remain operational, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis marked by acute shor...

Over a year has passed since Mohammad Amin Sheikh, a resident of Hajinar Karnah in Kupwara district, began his heartbreaking journey to locate his son, Zahoor Sheikh. According to KNS, Zahoor went missing after being reportedly deceived into joining the Russian army and sent to the Russia-Ukraine warzone. Despite relentless efforts, Sheikh's appeals to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Russian Embassy, and other authorities have yielded no answers. Zahoor, 27, last contacted his family on December 31, 2023, informing them he was about to start training and would be unavailable for three months. Soon after, rumors about Indian men dying in the war began circulating. Attempts to reach Zahoor failed, leaving his family in a state of despair. “He wanted a better life. ...

At least 32 people lost their lives, and 38 were injured after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Nepal-Tibet border on Tuesday, according to some media reports. The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) reported that the earthquake occurred at 6:35 AM (IST), with its epicentre at latitude 28.86 degrees North and longitude 87.51 degrees East, at a depth of 10 kilometres. The epicentre was located in Xizang (Tibet Autonomous Region), near the Nepal border. Xinhua news agency reported that 32 people in the city of Xizang were killed and 38 others were injured when the earthquake struck the region. Additionally, many house collapses were reported in Tonglai Village, located in Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze, also known as Shigatse. The earthquake also sent tremors acro...

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has reported that one child is killed every hour in the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the UNRWA said, "No place for children. Since the beginning of the war, 14,500 children have been reported killed in Gaza according to UNICEF. One child gets killed every hour. These are not numbers. These are lives cut short." The agency emphasized that the killing of children cannot be justified. "Those who survive are scarred physically and emotionally. Deprived of learning, boys and girls in Gaza sift through the rubble," it said. "The clock is ticking for these children. They are losing their lives, their futures, and mostly their hope," the statement added. Meanwhile, Gaza-based health authorities an...

Israel has escalated its airstrikes against Syrian military installations, carrying out 24 raids in the countryside of Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The strikes reportedly targeted tunnel-equipped facilities carved into mountainsides, as detailed by the war monitor on Saturday. This latest assault raises the total number of Israeli airstrikes on Syria to 426 since the collapse of the Syrian government on December 8, affecting 13 provinces across the country. Israeli officials claim these operations aim to prevent advanced weapons from "falling into the hands of terrorist elements." Among the latest targets were a missile base atop Mount Qasyun in Damascus, a southern airport in Sweida province, and defense and research facilities in Masyaf, Ham...