1. Over 1,100 Killed; US Moves Ford Carrier Strike Group to Eastern Mediterranean
2. After UK, Trudeau discusses India-Canada row with UAE
3. PM Modi assassination threat, gangster Bishnoi’s release demand in email triggers security alarm: Report
4. ISRO fights over 100 cyber-attacks every day: S Somanath
5. Indian Army’s intelligence unit recovered 80 new army uniforms in Pokaran, 4 arrested

What Else

6. White House plans face-to-face meeting between Biden and China’s Xi Jinping in California
7. China’s spy agency warns of more US tech curbs; promises to gain ‘the upper hand’
8. Pakistan calls for international intervention to protect Palestinians against Israeli oppression
9. Forces gun down terrorist involved in targeting civilians, LEAs in North Waziristan: ISPR

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Over 1,100 Killed; US Moves Ford Carrier Strike Group to Eastern Mediterranean

• Israel on Sun strongly retaliated at Gaza after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a massive surprise attack on Israel.
• The country’s security cabinet officially declared that the country is at war.
• The conflict has led to the death of over 700 Israelis and thousands of others have been left injured.
• Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza has also risen to 424, suggest reports.
• US President Joe Biden has said that military aid is on its way to Israel and more will follow over the coming days.
• Several US nationals have also been killed in the attacks on Israel, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council confirmed.
• The bloodiest escalation in decades saw Hamas carry out a massive rocket barrage and ground, air and sea offensive, which killed 600 Israelis and wounded 1,000.
• Gaza officials said intense Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave had brought the Palestinian death count to at least 400, with nearly 1,700 wounded.
• Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah said it fired “large numbers of artillery shells and guided missiles” at Israeli positions in a contested border area
• Netanyahu vowed to avenge what he said was a “black day” for Israel.
• He warned Palestinians living near Hamas sites in Gaza to leave as he vowed to turn its hideouts into “rubble” following its surprise attack.
• Israeli officials said about 100 soldiers and civilians have been kidnapped by Hamas.
• Hamas fighters fired thousands of rockets and breached Gaza’s security barrier, attacking nearby Israeli towns and military posts.
• The images of several captive Israelis shared by Hamas were strewn in the Israeli town of Sderot near Gaza and inside cars, the windscreens shattered by hails of bullets.
• In response to attacks, the Israeli defense forces also declared a “readiness for war”.
• As the UNSC called an emergency meeting on Sun, US President Biden voiced “rock solid and unwavering” support for Israel and warned, “against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation”.
• The Indian embassy in Israel has asked its citizens to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. (here)
• Spox for Hamas: “We thank Iran who provided us with weapons, money, and other equipment. They gave us missiles to destroy Zionist fortresses, and helped us with anti-tank missiles!”
• PM Modi on Sat expressed solidarity with Israel on X and condemned it as “terrorist attacks” in Israel as its leader Netanyahu said the country is at war. (here) [However, no official words from any office came into the media.]
• India’s support is important for two reasons…they know terrorism: Israel ambassador: Israel’s envoy to India Naor Gilon said India’s support is for two reasons and the first is India’s importance in the world and the second one, is linked to India’s long fight against terrorism.
• After PM Modi’s tweet, many Indian ministers, civil servants, and businessmen reached out to the ambassador, Naor confirmed. (here)
• 10 Nepali students died during the Hamas terror attack in Israel
• Cyber warfare is seen taking place after the Islamic hacker group attacked several official websites of Israel.
• Jumping into the fray, Indian Cyber Force, an Indian hackers group, took down the official website of Hamas, Hamas.ps.

After UK, Trudeau discusses India-Canada row with UAE

• Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Mon discussed the India-Canada row with the President of UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stating that it is important to uphold and respect the “rule of law”.
• The Canadian PM held a telephone conversation with the President of UAE and the two also spoke about the current situation in Israel.
• The two leaders expressed concern about the need to protect civilian life.
• “We also spoke about India and the importance of upholding – and respecting – the rule of law,” his post added. (here)
• Sunak, Trudeau underscore need for de-escalation of India-Canada row: On Sun, UK PM Rishi Sunak called for de-escalation of the India-Canada row in a call with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau.
• According to a Downing Street statement, Sunak spoke to Trudeau on Fri during which he was updated on the situation relating to Canadian diplomats in India. (here)
• This comes amid reports of Rishi Sunak planning to visit India later this month.
• Independent blogger alleges China hand in Nijjar killing in Canada: Alleging that the agents of the CCP were involved in the killing of separatist leader, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada, Jennifer Zeng, has said that China’s “purpose was to frame India creating discord between India and the West”.
• She also alleged that it was a part of the CCP’s sinister “Ignition Plan” to disrupt the world in line with Xi Jinping’s military strategy regarding Taiwan. (here)

PM Modi assassination threat, gangster Bishnoi’s release demand in email triggers security alarm: Report

• India’s central security agency has received an email threatening to assassinate PM Modi and blow up the NM stadium in Ahmedabad besides the demanding Rs 500 crore and the release of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, said reports quoting NIA officials.
• Dreaded Indian gangster Bishnoi is currently incarcerated in Ahmedabad on drug smuggling charges that are being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• Bishnoi is also an accused in the murder case of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
• Acting on the email, the NIA promptly informed the Mumbai police about the threat, according to a report in the Indian Express.
• They reportedly also shared the email’s contents with relevant agencies responsible for the PM’s security as well as the Gujarat Police. (here)

ISRO fights over 100 cyber-attacks every day: S Somanath

• SSomanath, the ISRO chairman on Sat said that the space agency is facing more than 100 cyber-attacks daily.
• Somanath, while speaking on the concluding session of the 16^th edition of the c0c0n, a 2-day international cyber conference in Kerala’s Kochi
• He further said that the possibility of cyber-attacks is much higher in rocket technology which uses ultra-modern software and chip-based hardware.
• “The organization is equipped with a robust cybersecurity network to face such attacks,” he said.
• The ISRO chief further said that apart from the software, ISRO is also going ahead with various tests focusing on the safety of the hardware chips inside the rockets. (here)

Indian Army’s intelligence unit recovered 80 new army uniforms in Pokaran, 4 arrested

• The Army Intelligence Unit has arrested 4 people for possessing new 80 army uniforms.
• The Intelligence Unit is busy investigating what could be the motive behind keeping the army uniform.
• Keeping 80 army uniforms together could be a conspiracy to carry out some major incident.
• Along with recovering the uniform, the Unit has arrested 4 people and they are being interrogated. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

White House plans face-to-face meeting between Biden and China’s Xi Jinping in California

• The WH said that it has started making plans for a meeting to be held in San Francisco between US President Biden and Chinese leader Xi in Nov
• The meeting will be an attempt to stabilize the tumultuous relationship between the two countries, as per senior administration officials.
• “It’s pretty firm” that a meeting will be held, confirmed two officials of the Biden admin even though a formal announcement of the engagement has not happened as of yet.
• The plans will be confirmed after the US visit of Chinese FM Wang Yi in Washington in the coming weeks, said the administration officials.
• This ‘in-person’ meeting will be the first to be held between the two leaders after their meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last Nov. (here)

China’s spy agency warns of more US tech curbs; promises to gain ‘the upper hand’

• China’s top spy agency MSS has warned that the “tech war” waged by the US could get worse.
• “It is foreseeable that the US will continue to pursue anti-globalization and decoupling-China policies to maintain its hegemony,” the Ministry of State Security said in a rare public statement on its official WeChat account on Sat.
• The ministry predicted that the US would roll out another round of sanctions to contain China’s hi-tech development, in part because of tech giant Huawei.
• A teardown by Canadian company TechInsights confirmed that nearly all components inside the Mate 60 phone were produced in China, including an advanced microchip.
• Huawei’s new device not only offers 5G connectivity but can also make calls via a satellite 36,000 km away, a technology currently beyond the reach of Apple.
• “The US is brewing a new round of sanctions and suppression policies.” (here)

Pakistan calls for international intervention to protect Palestinians against Israeli oppression

• Caretaker FM Jalil Jilani on Sun expressing solidarity with Palestine against Israeli oppression called for the international community to intervene to protect Palestinian civilians.
• The foreign minister also expressed concern over the volatile situation and the loss of precious Palestinian lives.
• Furthermore, the caretaker minister also called for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders and according to the UN resolutions. (here)

Forces gun down terrorist involved in targeting civilians, LEAs in North Waziristan: ISPR

• Security forces on Sat gunned down a terrorist —involved in targeting civilians — in North Waziristan’s Razmak area, the military’s media wing said on Sun.
• “On Oct 7, in an intense fire exchange between own troops and terrorists in the general area Razmak, North Waziristan District,” a statement issued by the ISPR said.
• During the intense fire exchange between security forces and the terrorist “Azeem Ullah” alias “Ghazi” was neutralized, the ISPR added. (here)