News Analysis India

Tag: United States

  • Middle East On Verge Of Full-Scale War? Israel-Hamas Conflict Exposes Erosion Of Self-Restraint In Region | world news

    The Middle East countries including some from Asia have now been exposed amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. After Israel’s counter-offensive in Gaza, Lebanon’s Hezbollah opened a front against Jerusalem as well. Now, countries like Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen have become a direct or indirect party of the conflict. The Red Sea has also become a conflict zone with the Yemen-based Houthi rebels attacking cargo ships in solidarity with Palestine and the US forces hitting back at the Houthis in response to ensure free and safe trade movement. The US recently also attacked Houthis inside Yemen. The Houthis, who support the Palestinian armed group Hamas, launched their attacks in response to Israel’s war on Gaza.

    According to reports, commanders from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group are reportedly present in Yemen, actively involved in directing and overseeing Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

    Just yesterday, Iran-backed militants launched a strike on US bases in Iraq injuring several soldiers. The US Central Command said that several personnel are undergoing evaluation for “traumatic brain injuries” and at least one Iraqi service member was wounded in the attack. “At approximately 6:30 pm (Baghdad time) time Jan. 20, multiple ballistic missiles and rockets were launched by Iranian-backed militants in Western Iraq targeting al-Assad Airbase. Most of the missiles were intercepted by the base’s air defense systems while others impacted the base. Damage assessments are ongoing. A number of US personnel are undergoing evaluation for traumatic brain injuries. At least one Iraqi service member was wounded,” the US Central Command informed on social media platform X.

    In yet another turn of events, Israel attacked a building in the Syrian Capital Damascus on Saturday in which at least five military advisors of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed. Another Israeli operation in southern Lebanon yesterday resulted in the death of two individuals, with at least one confirmed as a member of Hezbollah. Previous similar actions have targeted both Hezbollah members and members of the Palestinian group Hamas. Jordanian foreign minister Ayman Safadi has warned that Israel’s provoking confrontation of multiple fronts has created a risk that the war on Gaza may spill over to the rest of the region.

    On Monday, Iran launched 24 missiles at a purported Israeli intelligence center in Erbil, located in Kurdish northern Iraq. Simultaneously, they targeted Islamic State sites in Idlib, northern Syria. By Tuesday, Iran made a significant move by conducting strikes against Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni separatist group active in Pakistan near the Iranian border. Pakistan also retaliated by carrying out similar strike in Iran governed area.

    The situation in the Middle East is such that organizations like the Taliban are calling for restraints, defying irony. Not every aspect of the Middle East can be interconnected. The conflicts in the region don’t all have direct ties or originate exclusively from Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, and some may eventually subside. However, they do exhibit a certain cohesion, partially reflecting a shared decline in self-restraint and adherence to the rule of law.

  • Instagram Faces Outage In United States; Social Media Flooded With Memes |

    New Delhi: Instagram users in the United States were hit by a service outage on Friday, causing inconvenience to many who reported issues with sending or receiving direct messages (DMs). Complaints flooded social media platforms, especially X (Twitter), with users expressing frustration over the disruption.

    Downdetector, an internet outage tracking portal, recorded a peak in reports around 6 PM EST, with more than 1500 users reporting problems. (Also Read: In Pics: From Aziz Premji To Sajjan Jindal, Where Are Next Gen Of These Biz Tycoons Are Studying, Or Have Studied From; Check Here)

    User Complaints On Social Media

    Social media users voiced their concerns about the Instagram outage on X, highlighting the inability to respond to DMs. (Also Read: HDFC And Axis Bank Closed On January 22 For Ayodhya Ram Temple Event)

    Some complained about the issue persisting for hours, seeking prompt resolution from Instagram. The majority of complaints, about 85 percent, were related to issues with the application, while 12 percent reported problems with the website, and 3 percent faced feed-related problems.

    No Response From Meta Yet

    As of now, Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has not issued a response or statement regarding the reported outage. Users are awaiting an official acknowledgment and solution from the platform.

    Previous Server Connection Issues

    This is not the first time Instagram has faced technical difficulties. In November last year, over 10,000 users globally, including around 1000 in India, reported server connection problems, impacting the user experience.

    New Feature For Teen Accounts

    In a separate development, Instagram is introducing a new feature called “nighttime nudges” for teen accounts. This feature aims to encourage responsible usage and limit screen time on the application for younger users.

  • ‘OrdinaryExtraordinary Success Story’: United States Lauds Policies Of Modi Government

    Addressing the World Economic Forum, Secretary Blinken highlighted that discussions between India and the United States consistently emphasize the importance of democracy and human rights.

  • Vivek Ramaswamy Quits US Presidential Race For ‘America-First Patriot’ Donald Trump | world news

    IOWA: Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy who dropped out of the 2024 Republican presidential race after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucuses, has endorsed former President Donald Trump and urged Republican voters to put an “America First patriot” in the White House. Taking to social media platform want. Tonight I am suspending my campaign and endorsing Donald J. Trump and will do everything I can to make sure he is the next US President.”

    The 38-year-old political novice said at a press conference at Des Moines, “There is no path for me to be the next president absent things that we don’t want to see happen in this country,” as reported by the Washington. Post. “We did not achieve the surprise we wanted to deliver tonight,” Ramaswamy said. Ramaswamy finished fourth in Iowa, according to CNN News projections, well behind Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

    The biotech entrepreneur said he plans to appear with Trump in New Hampshire at a Tuesday evening rally. He further expressed his support for Trump, adding that he is extremely proud of the team, the movement, and the country. “Earlier tonight I called Donald Trump to tell him that I congratulate him on his victory. And now going forward, he will have my full endorsement for the presidency,” Ramaswamy said.

    Meanwhile, CNN reported that a spokesperson for Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign expressed dismay at the result and said the campaign is “digesting and determining” as it looks ahead to the next stage. The Iowa caucus victory is considered the first step in Donald Trump’s bid to claim the Republican nomination in a third consecutive election. Incidentally, Trump had lost in the state eight years ago.

    In a speech from his campaign headquarters in Des Moines in Iowa, Trump congratulated his opponents DeSantis and Haley both of whom he thought “did very well.” He also praised Vivek Ramaswamy for doing a “hell of a job,” CNN reported. “They are very smart, very smart people, very capable people,” Trump said of his opponents.

    According to the latest figures by CNN, after 96 percent of results were released, Ramaswamy is projected to win only three out of 40 delegates in Iowa. Ramaswamy had been one of Trump’s staunchest defenders against the four indictments leveled against him. He pledged to remove himself from the ballots in Colorado and Maine after the former president was disqualified from the two states. He even vowed to pardon Trump of all charges on his first day in office.

  • Mysterious Deaths Of Two Indian Students In US’ Connecticut Leaves Families In Shock | world news

    New Delhi: In a tragic incident, two students from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were found dead in their accommodation in Connecticut, US, recently. The students were identified as G Dinesh (22) from Wanaparthy in Telangana and Nikesh (21) from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh. The cause of their death is still unknown.

    Families In The Dark

    The families of the deceased students are in a state of shock and grief, as they have no clue about how their sons died. Dinesh’s family members said that they received a call from his friends who live in a nearby room on Saturday night, informing them about his death and his roommate’s. “We have no clue as to how he died,” they said.

    According to a family member, Dinesh and Nikesh had gone to Hartford, Connecticut, in the US for higher studies on December 28, 2023 and a few days later, respectively. They were mutual friends of some common friends and became roommates after going to the US.

    Families Seek Help To Bring Back Bodies

    A member of Dinesh’s family said that they have approached Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to seek their help in bringing back Dinesh’s body. Wanaparthy MLA Megha Reddy has also extended his support to the family and visited them to offer his condolences.

    The family member also said that they had no contact with Nikesh’s family members as the two had gone to the US only recently.

    Similarly, the Srikakulam district administration has no information on Nikesh or his family members. Srikakulam Police Special Branch DSP K Balaraju said that even the district collectorate did not receive any information on Nikesh or his family members.

    CM assures help

    Wanaparthy MLA T Megha Reddy spoke to Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy regarding the matter and requested him to make arrangements to bring back the student’s body to India from the US. The Chief Minister responded positively and assured him that he would do his best to help the family.

    The MLA said that the student from Wanaparthy had gone to the US on December 28, 2023, for higher studies.

  • ‘Must Not Tolerate Phobia’: US Congressman Condemns Attacks On Hindu Temples | world news

    WASHINGTON: Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar on Wednesday condemned the recent attacks on Hindu temples in the US, saying such incidents should not be tolerated. “We should not tolerate any kind of phobia, Hindu phobia. The religions are about love, helping each other and doing good things for each other. And these attacks on Hindu temples–I strongly condemn them and we must not tolerate that. serve on the Homeland Security Committee and I am speaking with my committee members about helping religious organizations do better ability. Provide them the funds and resources they need to protect the religious organizations and help them fight any kind of Hindu phobia, any kind of hatred that we see,” Thanedar said.

    Speaking with ANI at the ‘Ramayana across Asia and Beyond’ event at the US Capitol Hill in Washington DC, Thanedar also weighed in on the opening of Ram Mandir on January 22, terming it as ‘historic’. He added that the construction of the temple is a proud moment for every Indian. “I think it means a lot. It’s historic and it’s a pride for every Indian to see that temple built. I have seen pictures of it and they are spectacular. Through the Ramayana epic, we bring people together. This is a cultural bond that we have with likeminded people and now we see Ramayana has been appreciated all over the Asia-Pacific region with 15 different countries. It is practiced and the Ramayana brings it to us. It’s more than epic. It is the value system. I grew up in a Hindu family, studying Ramayana and singing verses from Ramayana. So that is just a second nature to me,” the Congressman said.

    Thailand’s ambassador to the US, Tanee Sangrat, said the opening of Ram Mandir is a ‘delight’ for the people of many countries and celebrations are already underway as the event draws near. “It is the delight of people not only in Thailand but with many countries across Southeast Asia and across Asia Pacific that our common culture is being celebrated and the coming home of the Rama,” the Thai envoy said.

    “It’s an excellent occasion for me to come and share our culture together on the Ramayana, which is the great story that we share in the Asia-Pacific region. It is also an excellent opportunity to exchange our views with the diplomatic core, with the members of the community, congress and staff about the story that we all know too well about good and evil,” he added.

    HinduACTion’s landmark event — ‘Ramayana Across Asia and Beyond — at Capitol Hill on Wednesday saw a unique gathering of distinguished diplomats and US lawmakers, underscoring the importance of cultural heritage in contemporary geopolitics. The event was attended by the Ambassadors of Thailand to the US Tanee Sangrat and India’s Ambassador to the US, along with US Congressmen Jim Baird (R-IN), Max Miller (R-OH), and Shri Thanedar (D-MI). Key embassy staff from Bangladesh and Guyana, as well as representatives from the offices of Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs (D-CA), also marked their presence.

    The focal message of the conference was the integration of the Ramayana’s teachings in today’s governance. The esteemed members applauded HinduACTion for their foresight in highlighting the need for a deeper comprehension of the Indo-Pacific region’s civilizational qualities and values. This insight is instrumental for American policymakers to develop nuanced relationships with the 16 nations in the region.

    Think tank members from Sri Lanka also contributed their perspectives on the necessity of reinforced Indian cooperation in the Indian Ocean, anchored in shared historical values ​​and ideals. In a poignant address, the Thai Ambassador spoke of the Ramayana’s eternal influence on Thai society and its philosophical significance. Similarly, the Indian Ambassador emphasized the Ramayana’s role in fostering morally sound geopolitical practices.

    A cultural dance performance of the Ramayana beautifully complemented the backdrop of exhibition panels, illustrating the epic’s interpretation across various Indo-Pacific nations. A significant highlight was the participation of members of the Afghan Hazara community, who shared their experiences in safeguarding Buddhist and Hindu monuments in Afghanistan from the Taliban.

    In a gesture of cultural appreciation, each dignitary was honored with a Tibetan shawl by HinduACTion, symbolizing the event’s spirit of unity and respect for diverse traditions. HinduACTion is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC dedicated to empowering American pluralism by integrating STEM, meditation, and yoga with Hindu civilizational wisdom for inclusive policies, media accuracy, and community engagement.