Category: Global

A village panchayat in Rajasthan’s Jalore district has decided to prohibit married women and daughters-in-law in 15 villages from using camera-enabled mobile phones starting January 26. Under the decision, women will be allowed to use only basic keypad phones for voice calls.

The resolution was ratified during a gathering of the Sundhamata Patti panchayat of the Chaudhary clan, which took place in Ghazipur village on December 21. The meeting was led by community leader Sujanaram Chaudhary. Panch Himmataram presented the proposal, which was accepted following discussions among panchayat officials and community elders.

According to the decision, daughters-in-law and young women will be barred from carrying smartphones to weddings, public events, or while visiting neighbors. They are permitted to possess and use only keypad phones for calls. 

In an interview, Chaudhary explained that the decision was made by Panch Himmataram after consultations with the community. “After deliberations among panch members and community participants, it was concluded that daughters-in-law and young women should exclusively use keypad phones for communication,” he stated.

The resolution contains a limited provision for education. Per the panchayat’s guidelines, school-aged girls who need smartphones for their studies may use them at home. However, they are prohibited from bringing mobile phones to social occasions, weddings, or to the homes of neighbors.

Clarifying the rationale behind the decision, Chaudhary noted that children frequently use the mobile devices of women in their homes, which can harm their eyesight due to prolonged screen exposure. “Some women hand their phones to children to distract them, enabling them to attend to daily responsibilities,” he remarked.

The ban will be enforced in Ghazipur, Pawali, Kalda, Manojiyawas, Rajikawas, Datlawas, Rajpura, Kodi, Sidrodi, Aldi, Ropsi, Khanadewal, Savidhar, Hathmi Ki Dhani, and Khanpur.

A man attempted to take his own life at the Grand Mosque in Makkah by jumping off an upper floor, however, he was saved by a guard who swiftly responded to catch him, preventing a fatal fall.

According to reports, the security guard immediately intervened to break the man’s fall and sustained injuries while attempting the rescue.

Both individuals were rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

Meanwhile, the administration of Masjid Al Haram has assured the public that they are handling the matter and have followed all necessary procedures.

Authorities said they are investigating the incident but have not released further details about what led to the attempted suicide.

It may be noted that this is not the first time when someone attempted suicide at the Holy Mosque in Makkah.

A similar incident occurred in 2017, when a man died by suicide near the Kaaba after jumping from the third floor of the Grand Mosque while thousands of pilgrims were performing tawaf.

A doctor accused of assaulting a patient at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla, India, has stated that he feels no remorse, asserting that he acted in self-defence after being verbally attacked and assaulted by the patient.

Dr Raghav Narula, a senior resident at IGMC who was suspended following the circulation of a video of the encounter, alleged that the patient Arjun Panwar verbally insulted him and his family without justification and attacked him with an iron rod, along with kicks and punches.

The incident took place on Monday within a hospital ward and was recorded in a brief video segment. The clip displays the doctor taking what seems to be an iron rod from the patient’s grasp and hitting him. Mr Panwar is then observed kicking the doctor before being repeatedly struck while lying on the bed.

Mr Panwar had visited the hospital for medical tests and lay down on a bed in another ward after experiencing breathing difficulties.

“I had recently undergone a bronchoscopy and was having trouble breathing. When I requested oxygen, the doctor questioned my status of admission,” Panwar stated.

He claimed that the doctor began acting rudely without cause, leading to a dispute. “I asked him to communicate with me respectfully, but he became aggressive. He responded by saying, ‘tu is just tu’. When I inquired if he addressed his family in such a way, he accused me of taking it ‘personally’ and then started hitting me,” he said.

Dr Narula provided an alternate version of the incident, indicating that the argument stemmed from his use of the term “tu,” which is an informal form of address. He explained that he was reviewing the patient’s previous x-rays and scans as part of the standard process when he commented, “Tu dekha dekha lag raha hai (I think I have seen you somewhere).”

“He then became angry over why I referred to him as ‘tu’. When I explained that my words or tone were not inappropriate, the patient escalated, as did his companion. They then used abusive language,” Dr Narula recounted.

He also stated that the viral video does not capture what transpired prior to the physical altercation. “You are witnessing 10–15 seconds of the conflict, but the disagreement began five to 10 minutes earlier and continued for nearly 10 hours after that,” he remarked.

“I do not feel sorry for what I did. A First Information Report (FIR) is based on the video. Nobody ever asked me about my experience. The situation forced me to act in self-defence,” Dr Narula emphasised. 

The Resident Doctors’ Association of IGMC supported the physician, claiming that the patient misbehaved and used abusive language, and called for an impartial investigation.

The Superintendent of Police for Shimla district, Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi, stated that all elements of the case are being reviewed, including medical records and electronic evidence, such as the video recording. “Appropriate action will be taken according to the law based on the results of the inquiry,” he avowed.

The administration of the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has announced a financial incentive program offering undocumented immigrants $3,000 and free airfare if they voluntarily leave the United States by the end of the year.

According to foreign media reports, the US Department of Homeland Security rolled out the offer for undocumented immigrants who agree to self-deportation by December 31.

The Department of Homeland Security announced in a statement that undocumented immigrants who sign up for self-deportation through the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home app will receive a free plane ticket to their home country along with $3,000 in cash.

The department has tripled the payment from the original $1,000 stipend previously offered to those who voluntarily return to their countries.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued a stark warning to those who refuse to participate in the voluntary departure program.

“People who do not self-deport will face arrest, deportation, and a permanent ban on reentry,” Noem warned.

She revealed that 1.9 million undocumented immigrants have voluntarily left the country since January this year, with thousands utilizing the CBP Home program.

However, immigration lawyers and activists have raised doubts about claims that migrants who leave voluntarily may be able to return legally. In many cases, people who have lived in the US without legal status face automatic bans that can last years, for which waivers are not typically granted.

The stipend increase comes as non-voluntary arrests and deportations have not met the administration’s early target of one million. 

Since taking office, the Trump administration has deported more than 335,000 people, according to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement data.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) councillor Renu Chaudhary faces massive online backlash after a video shows her threatening an African national to learn Hindi or leave Delhi.

The video, now viral on social media, captures Chaudhary confronting a group of people in a Delhi park. She loudly questions why the African man has not learned Hindi despite living in India and warns him of serious consequences.

Chaudhary gives the man a one-month ultimatum to learn Hindi, threatening that authorities will take the park away from him if he fails. She tells the group they need to take her seriously and insists this is not a laughing matter. She says in Hindi, “If you are earning from India, you must learn to speak Hindi.”

The video shows her pointing at someone off camera while warning about park rules. She demands the park close by 8 pm and says any criminal activity will make them responsible.

Social media users tore into the councillor’s behavior.

One user wrote, “What’s the Indian name that’s equivalent to Karen? Pooja? Sangjeeta? Kashma?”

Another user took a shot at her logic: “She should have told Messi not to come to India cause he can’t speak Hindi.”

“After one month the councillor will teach football,” someone mocked.

One user called out the language politics: “Why they always want to impose Hindi everywhere, creating conflicts among people.”

Another comment stated, “Such people are voted by the Andhbhakts, they can only choose jokers not workers.”

The strongest criticism came from a user who wrote, “Harassing a dedicated coach who’s helped kids for 12 years over Hindi? Shame on Renu Chaudhary and her backward mindset. “

New details have emerged in the investigation of the Sydney terror attack that killed 15 people at Bondi Beach.

According to foreign media reports, Australian police have submitted documents to the court revealing that Indian-origin attackers Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram received tactical training in Australia and visited Bondi Beach one day before the deadly assault.

The investigation uncovered a video on one attacker’s phone showing both suspects sitting in front of an ISIS flag. The video, recorded in October, shows both men expressing anti-Jewish sentiments.

Police documents confirm the father and son carried out technical training within Australia before executing the attack on participants of a Jewish festival at Sydney’s Bondi Beach last week.

Media reports indicate authorities transferred the injured attacker Naveed Akram from hospital to prison today.

The attack on Decemeber 14, left 15 people dead. Police killed Sajid Akram at the scene, while his son Naveed Akram sustained injuries during the assault.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has demanded full parliamentary support for new laws against extremist and hate speech following the attack.