1. Israel-Hamas War: First Operation Ajay Flight Brings 212 Indians Home; Over 4,300 Killed
2. India supports establishing independent, viable State of Palestine: MEA
3. With Rs 4,200 cr infra push, PM Modi says double-engine govt’s efforts now bearing fruit in Uttarakhand
4. Canadian Speaker Raymonde Gagne skips G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit amid India-Canada row
5. Jaishankar’s Security Cover Upgraded to Z Category from Y

What Else

6. Manipur: Ban on circulating images, videos showing “violent activities”
7. Israel-Hamas war: China’s Wang Yi says Palestine issue ‘crux’ of Middle East affairs
8. Bangladesh minorities seek protection ahead of polls
9. Nepal: First batch of 254 students, stranded amid Israel-Hamas war, land in Kathmandu
10. US man shot dead after ramming car into Chinese consulate named as Zhanyuan Yang, 31
11. Taliban refuse Pakistan aid for quake victims

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Israel-Hamas War: First Operation Ajay Flight Brings 212 Indians Home; Over 4,300 Killed

• The first flight carrying 212 Indians stranded in Israel as part of rescue mission Operation Ajay landed at the Delhi airport early on Fri.
• There were about 18,000 Indians in Israel and India received information about one of its citizens being injured there, the MEA said.
• They are in the hospital, getting better, Bagchi said. There were 4 Indians in Gaza and 12 in the West Bank, it is added.
• Israel continued bombardments in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on the sixth day of its war against the Palestinian militant group.
• Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Blinken landed in Tel Aviv to extend US support after multiple telephonic conversations between President Biden and PM Netanyahu.
• Israel has vowed to “crush” Hamas after gunmen from the Palestinian Islamist group stormed across the border and killed 1,200 people — the deadliest attack
• Hamas Practices Attack A Month Before Border Breach: According to an AP report, less than a month before Hamas fighters blew through Israel’s high-tech ‘Iron Wall’ and launched an attack on the country, they practiced it in a very public dress rehearsal.
• War May Start on Other Fronts if… Warns Iran Foreign Minister: Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has said that if Israel continues bombarding Gaza, then the war may open on “other fronts”.
• The minister, according to an AP report, said this in an apparent reference to the Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah.
• Minister who arrived in Beirut on Thu said, “In light of the continued aggression, war crimes, and siege on Gaza, opening other fronts is a real possibility.” (here)
• [Notably, the Saudi crown prince had 45 min telephone talk with Iranian leadership.]
• “I could have another IDF with the volunteers“: Israeli envoy lauds India’s support amid Hamas attack (here)

India supports establishing independent, viable State of Palestine: MEA

• India has said that it advocates the resumption of direct negotiations toward establishing a sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine in a reiteration of its long-standing support for the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
• “….India has always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine, living within secure and recognized borders, side by side at peace with Israel,” said, spox, MEA, at a press briefing on Thu.
• This is the MEA’s first official statement on the Israel-Palestine conflict after Hamas’ terror attack on Israel on Oct 7.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has criticized the terror attack and expressed solidarity with Israel twice since then.
• Through its statement, the MEA has made it clear that while India was against terrorist strikes, its stand on Israel-Palestine remained unchanged.
• Bagchi said there was also the responsibility to fight the menace of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations while there was a universal obligation to observe humanitarian law. (here)

With Rs 4,200 cr infra push, PM Modi says double-engine govt’s efforts now bearing fruit in Uttarakhand

• PM Modi said on Thu that the efforts of the double-engine govt for the development of tourism and pilgrimage in Uttarakhand are now bearing fruit.
• The PM was addressing a gathering after unveiling development projects worth about Rs 4,200 crore in sectors including rural development, road, power, irrigation, etc.
• During his address, the PM expressed gratitude for the love and affection the people of Uttarakhand showered and said, “It was like a Ganga of affection flowing through”.
• He emphasized that the zeal and enthusiasm of the soldiers of Garhwal Rifles soar with the proclamation of Jai Badri Vishal at Baidyanath Dham, and the tolling of the bells at the Kali Mandir at Gangolihat infuse new courage into the soldiers of the Kumaon regiment.
• In Manaskhand, the Prime Minister mentioned Baidyanath, Nandadevi, Poorangiri, Kasardevi, Kainchidham, Katarmal, Nanakmatta, Reetha Sahib, and other shrines that make up the grandeur and heritage of the land. (here)

Canadian Speaker Raymonde Gagne skips G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit amid India-Canada row

• Amidst the ongoing diplomatic spat between Canada and India, Speaker of the Canadian Senate Raymonde Gagne skipped the Presiding Officers’ Summit of Parliaments of G20 nations that began in New Delhi on Thu.
• Last week, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that Gagne had confirmed her participation at the Parliament-20 meeting being hosted by India on Oct 12-14.
• “The Canadian Speaker is not attending the Summit. Schedules keep changing,” news agency PTI quoted parliamentary sources as saying.
• Earlier, Birla said that he would raise “several issues” in his informal talks with the Speaker of the Canadian Senate.
• “We will discuss issues that have been listed for the summit. Other issues will be discussed informally,” he said on being asked whether the matter of using the Canadian Parliament to level allegations against India
• Trudeau dials UAE President, King of Jordan, discusses India-Canada ties (here)
• President of Pan African Parliament to attend P20 for the first time
• P20 Summit to explore how parliaments can effectively advance global governance
• The first Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) being hosted by New Delhi in its capacity as the G20 President is being held during Oct 13 – 14, 2023, at the newly constructed IICC, Yashobhoomi, Dwarka, New Delhi. (here)

Jaishankar’s Security Cover Upgraded to Z Category from Y

• The security cover of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has been upgraded from the ‘Y’ category to ‘Z’.
• As per the information received, the Home Ministry has ordered the Central Force to take charge of his security, currently provided by an armed team of the Delhi Police.
• As per sources, the decision to upgrade his security cover was taken in the view of a threat report from the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
• The 68-year-old Rajya Sabha MP will now be protected by the CRPF which entails 36 armed commandos moving with him all the time in shifts across the country.
• Also, ahead of next month’s Chhattisgarh assembly elections and considering previous violence against political leaders by Naxals in the state, the MHA has given central security cover to 24 political leaders.
• These leaders are mostly from the BJP. The CRPF has been asked to give X-category security cover to these leaders in the Bastar region. (here)
• New posters put up by Khalistani groups in Canada that carry the images of the minister, along with those of PM Modi, in calling for their assassination.
• Khalistani group SFJ put up these posters on Tue, announcing a “referendum” on whether a separate State should be carved out of India, outside the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia.
• According to the posters, a “referendum” will be held in Vancouver on Oct 29, after a protest that will be launched on Oct 21 from Surrey to the Indian consulate.
• The posters, one of the people cited above said, previously called for the assassination of the Indian high commission to Canada and consul generals (here)

Manipur: Ban on circulating images, videos showing “violent activities”

• The Manipur govt has prohibited the circulation of images and videos “depicting violent activities” which may aggravate the law-and-order situation in the state hit by ethnic clashes since May.
• An order in this regard issued by the commissioner (home) on Wed on behalf of Governor Anusuiya Uikey stated that the decision was taken as a “positive step towards bringing normalcy in the state.”
• “Nobody shall be allowed to circulate/spread such videos/images/pictures through various social media platforms…on electronic equipment like a tablet, computer, mobile phone etc and sending bulk SMS,” the order read.
• The order directed people in possession of videos/images that depict causing/inflicting harm/injury to the body and/or damage, to public/private property, etc to approach the nearest police and submit the same for taking appropriate legal action. (here)
• Weapons, warlike stores recovered by security forces during combing operations in Manipur: Weapons and warlike stores were recovered during joint combing operations by security forces in violence-affected Manipur, an official said on Thu.
• An extensive search of the area by the security personnel of the Assam Rifles, Border Security Force, and Churachandpur Police was launched on Thu.
• “An extensive search ..led to the recovery of one 9mm carbine gun, 1 tear gas gun, 1 improvised mortar, ammunition, and other war-like stores, under the aegis of Red Shield division of Indian Army,” the officials added. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

Israel-Hamas war: China’s Wang Yi says Palestine issue ‘crux’ of Middle East affairs

• Chinese FM Wang Yi has called for the realization of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian nation, in his first public comments about the conflict in the Middle East since the crisis began on Sat.
• His comments – ahead of a UNSC emergency meeting taking place on Fri – are part of China’s mediation efforts in recent days, with its Middle East envoy also speaking to leaders on both sides of the conflict.
• Wang was speaking by phone on Thu to Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim, chief adviser to Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who advised that the UNSC meeting would take place, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
• Brazil holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council this month and will host the emergency session.
• Also on Thu, special envoy for Middle East affairs, Zhai Jun called for a ceasefire, in China’s first public contact with Israel since the attack by Hamas. (here)

Bangladesh minorities seek protection ahead of polls

• Religious minorities in Bangladesh have sought police protection ahead of the Jan polls while a US govt election mission is touring the S Asian nation that has a history of minority repression during elections.
• The B’desh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council submitted a 9-point demand, including an assurance on safety, ahead of the polls before the election commission on Oct. 11.
• At the polls, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking a third term after one decade of uninterrupted rule.
• The stakes are high for the ruling Awami League in the 171.3 million country, which saw a spate of attacks on minorities during the polls in 2018 and in 2014.
• About 90 percent of Bangladesh’s population are Muslim and nearly 8 percent are Hindus. Buddhism and Christianity make up for the rest.
• Religious minorities have steadily declined since Bangladesh won independence in 1971. (here)

Nepal: First batch of 254 students, stranded amid Israel-Hamas war, land in Kathmandu

• As the first batch of evacuees from Israel arrived back in Kathmandu in the wee hours of Fri, the Govt of Nepal has announced to make further arrangements to bring back citizens from Israel.
• A Nepal Airlines wide-body aircraft, which flew to Tel Aviv on Thu morning to bring back the Nepali students, landed in Kathmandu at around 3 am (Local Time) on Fri.
• Leading the rescue mission, NP Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs announced the arrival of 254 students in the first batch of evacuation while 249 still wait back in Israel for airlift. (here)

US man shot dead after ramming car into Chinese consulate named as Zhanyuan Yang, 31

• A 31-year-old San Francisco man has been identified as the driver who was shot and killed by police after crashing a car into the Chinese consulate on Mon.
• The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified the driver as Zhanyuan Yang on Thu.
• The office said in an email it had no additional information to disclose.
• Yang rammed a vehicle into the visa office of the consulate.
• A witness said he was bleeding from the head as he exited the vehicle yelling about the CCP, an abbreviation for the Chinese Communist Party.
• San Francisco police arrived on the scene and shot the driver, who died later in a hospital.
• US police fatally shoot driver who crashes car into Chinese consulate in San Francisco
• Police have not disclosed how the shooting unfolded or how many officers fired. There were no reports of any injured people inside the building.
• Police said on Mon they did not know why the driver smashed into the consulate, which is in a residential neighborhood next to a major street.
• “We condemn this incident and all violence perpetrated against foreign diplomatic staff working in the United States,” WH National Security Council spox said on Tue. (here)

Taliban refuse Pakistan aid for quake victims

• The interim Afghan govt has refused to accept aid from Pakistan for the earthquake victims as tensions between the two neighbors continue to strain relations
• Afghanistan was struck by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake last Sat, leaving at least 1,000 people dead and affecting many villages.
• There was further damage when another quake hit the region on Wednesday.
• Pakistan was quick to offer support as PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar announced sending rescue and relief teams along with essential aid.
• However, the consignment and rescuers were not dispatched to Afghanistan after Kabul refused to give clearance.
• Although there was no official word from either side, the current tension between the two countries seemed to be the main reason for the Afghan rejection.
• The Express Tribune reported that since the earthquake hit Herat province, which was close to Iran, Pakistan couldn’t send its teams and goods due to logistic reasons.
• Another factor was seen as the lack of capacity by the Afghan authorities to distribute the aid already reached Afghanistan by the international community.
• The development was seen in the context of ongoing tension between the two countries over the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). (here)