Day: January 12, 2025

Landlords ripping off LA fire victims, says Selling Sunset star

Landlords have been illegally raising prices due to the Los Angeles wildfires, says Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim.

The LA property mogul, who owns the luxury real estate brokerage at the centre of the Netflix reality show, said one client had been asked for thousands over the original asking price to rent a home – despite California’s anti “price gouging” laws.

It comes as LA officials warned anyone caught “taking advantage” of the disaster by scamming or burgling wildfire victims would be prosecuted.

Thousands of people have lost homes in LA and displaced victims say they are facing sky-high rental prices and hotel fees.

Oppenheim said his business was offering its services for free and had received dozens of calls from people who had lost homes.

Speaking on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, he described sending a client to visit a property where the landlord had previously been asking for $13,000 per month in rent.

“[My client] offered $20,000 a month and he offered to pay six months upfront and the landlord said ‘I want $23,000’,” he said.

“There are price gouging laws in California, they’re just being ignored right now, and this isn’t the time to be taking advantage of situations.”

The 47-year-old added that the disaster had been “emotional for everyone”.

He said: “Everyone has tears in their eyes all day long, literally from the smoke but also just because it’s emotional to see people struggling like this.”

California authorities have warned businesses against illegally hiking the price of items more than 10% above their pre-disaster cost.

On Saturday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta also said he had seen landlords raising prices illegally.

“You cannot do it. It is a crime punishable by up to a year in jail and fines,” he said.

“This is California law [and] it’s in place to protect those suffering from a tragedy.”

‘A lot of scams’

Price gouging is just one example of the criminality that has emerged amid the disaster, which has killed at least 16 people.

LA County Sheriff Robert Luna warned those thinking of committing burglary or “white collar crime or a scam” that police and prosecutors were watching.

Meanwhile LA police chief Jim McDonnell said “people will go to all ends to be able to do what it is they want to do to exploit the victims of this tragedy”.

Mr McDonnell said there “are a lot of scams” and warned those who want to help to donate “with caution”.

He encouraged people to conduct careful research to find reputable organisations, recommending using resources such as Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau, and urged residents to report fraud.

“Together we can prevent further harm and protect the generosity of our community,” he said.

Meanwhile Mr Luna, the county sheriff, said there had so far been approximately 29 arrests amid the fires, including a man posing as a firefighter to burgle a home.

He said police were “eager to prosecute” anyone who had “taken advantage of our residents during this very difficult time” and specifically warned against “white collar” scams.

On Saturday, police in LA said the number of arrests for looting was “continuously growing”.

Yet despite the malfeasance of some, LA mayor Karen Bass said more than 13,000 people have donated over $6m (£4.9m) to California’s Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund since the fires began on Tuesday.

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PC and man die after lorry hits them at crash site

An off-duty police officer has died after she was struck by a lorry while helping at the scene of an earlier crash.

PC Rosie Prior, 45, had stopped to help Ryan Welford, 41, from Knaresborough, and was standing on the verge of the A19 at Bagby in North Yorkshire, when they were hit by a lorry at 08:55 GMT on Saturday.

They died at the scene. A teenage boy who was a passenger in Mr Welford’s car is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

A 65-year-old lorry driver from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has been released under investigation.

Paying tribute to PC Prior, North Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Tim Forber said she “epitomises the very best of British policing”.

Ms Prior joined the force as a student officer in May 2022.

Her family described her as “a loving mum, wife, daughter, sister, aunty and will be deeply missed”.

Mr Welford’s family said he was a “hard-working and loving father, husband, son and brother”.

“He will be greatly missed by his family and friends,” they said.

Ms Prior had joined North Yorkshire Police more than two years ago because “she wanted to help people,” Mr Forber said.

“Rosie epitomises the very best of British policing, she put the safety of others before her own safety,” he said.

“Yesterday morning, she wasn’t on duty on a shift, she was off duty, and she came across the road traffic collision on the A19 and she stopped to help.

“She got out and like many police officers up and down the country put herself on duty.”

He said his thoughts were with the family of Mr Welford and that it was a “deeply traumatic and heart-breaking event for everyone involved”.

Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the deaths of Ms Prior and Mr Welford were a “profound tragedy”.

“This brave officer’s passing serves as a reminder of the risks that our dedicated police officers face every single day in the line of duty,” she said.

The Bishop of Kirkstall, the Right Reverend Arun Arora, paid tribute to Ms Prior and Mr Welford, saying their friends and families were in his thoughts.

He told BBC Radio York: “They will be in our prayers and our condolences to them at this time.”

The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire and deputy mayor of policing, fire and crime said they were “devastated” by the deaths of Ms Prior and Mr Welford.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, and Jo Coles, deputy mayor, said in a joint statement: “Our hearts are broken for them and their families.

“Rosie’s commitment to serving the public, even when off duty, shows she was the very best of us.”

Tiff Lynch, Police Federation acting national chair, said the organisation was assisting North Yorkshire Police Federation in “offering every possible support to PC Prior’s loved ones”.

“It is with immense grief and sorrow that the Police Federation of England and Wales offers its deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the two people, including PC Rosie Prior, who were killed in a tragic collision on A19,” she said.

Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton Kevin Hollinrake said he would be “working with the relevant authorities to understand how this tragedy occurred and to explore what steps can be taken to prevent such incidents in the future”.

“The safety of our roads and those who serve on them is a priority, and we must do everything possible to prevent further loss of life.”

North Yorkshire Police issued an appeal for witnesses and urged motorists with dashcam footage to get in touch.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.

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Nurse stabbed in hospital A&E department

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a nurse was seriously injured in a stabbing at a hospital.

The woman, aged in her 50s, was left with life-changing injuries in the attack at Royal Oldham Hospital’s A&E department at about 23:30 GMT on Saturday.

Greater Manchester Police said officers believe a member of the public attacked her with a sharp instrument which was not a knife. She remains in hospital for treatment.

A 37-year-old man was arrested and remains in police custody.

Det Sgt Craig Roters appealed for information, adding: “We know that news of this nature will come as a shock.

“The local community can expect to see an increase in police presence while we carry out enquiries, but they are also there to offer reassurance and answer any questions you may have.”

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said on X nurses “should be able to care for patients without fear of violence”.

His post added: “My thoughts are with the nurse and her loved ones following this horrific attack at The Royal Oldham Hospital.

“Nurses are the backbone of our NHS and should be able to care for patients without fear of violence.

“We’re in touch with the Trust and will update further as we can.”

‘Hospital remains open’

Heather Caudle, the chief nursing officer at Northern Care Alliance NHS Trust – which covers Oldham – said staff were “incredibly shocked and saddened by last night’s incident and our focus is on supporting the colleague involved and their family”.

She added: “Our thoughts are also with colleagues and patients who were there at the time of the incident and for whom this has been distressing and frightening.”

She said they were working with police and all services at the hospital would remain open.

In a social media post, Oldham West MP Jim McMahon, who is also a minister for local government, expressed his shock at what he described as “a senseless attack”.

He said his thoughts were with the staff member, her family and friends and wished her a full recovery.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

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Hollywood Hills File Live Updates | Hollywood Hills Wildfire | Los Angeles Wildfire Live Updates | California Wildfires | Hollywood Hills Fire LIVE | Los Angeles Fire Kills At Least 10 | California Wildfire | US Fire

A fast-moving wildfire, dubbed the Sunset Fire, broke out near the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday night, coming dangerously close to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The blaze is one of four major wildfires ravaging Southern California, which have claimed five lives, forced 130,000 evacuations, and destroyed communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena.

While winds subsided on Wednesday after hurricane-force gusts worsened conditions the previous day, the fires remain out of control. Firefighters from multiple states have joined efforts to contain the infernos, but the situation remains critical.

#SunsetFire #HollywoodHillsFire #CaliforniaWildfires #Firefighters #Evacuations #WildfireCrisis

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BJP rushed to placate the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar after the ticket from his current seat was given to Kapil Mishra. Mohan Singh Bisht was then given a ticket from Mustafabad in the third list of candidates released on Sunday, ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly election.

Mr Bisht, who has won all except one assembly election from Karawal Nagar since 1998, had earlier said, “The BJP thinks they will field anyone and he will win. This is a big mistake. You have challenged the ‘samaj’ (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri.”

Later, Mr Bisht expressed confidence that he would win the Mustafabad seat for the BJP. “I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party,” Bisht told PTI. The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.

Another protest at the Delhi BJP office voiced resentment over the candidate fielded from Tughlakabad. “Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi,” the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them. In the second list of BJP candidates, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. 

A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.

Mr Bisht is the only candidate announced as part of the third list of BJP candidates for the Delhi polls. In the first and second lists, 29 candidates each were announced. So far, the BJP has announced 59 candidates.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly are scheduled on February 5, the counting of votes for which will be held on February 8. The elections will see the Aam Aadmi Party looking to retain power for the third consecutive term, despite many of its leaders being tainted by various cases. The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to the helm.

A delivery agent of a quick commerce platform has been arrested for allegedly delivering cigarettes to underaged coaching students in Kota’s Landmark City area, police said on Sunday.

Satyaprakash Koli (48) was nabbed while he was supplying cigarettes to coaching students on Saturday evening, SP Kota city Amrita Duhan said.

The arrest was made during a crackdown against sale and supply of cigarettes by quick commerce platforms to underaged coaching students, the police said.

The accused, who works for Blinkit, has been booked under section 77 of Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act and under section 9/11 of Rajasthan Prohibition of Smoking and Non-smoker’s Health Protection Act, the SP said.

The city police had already written to representatives of Blinkit company at its office in Landmark City asking not to sell and supply cigarettes to minor students, but despite the instruction, the company was found to be selling them to the coaching students, she said.

Investigation is underway to find out other personnel of the company involved in sale and supply of prohibited material to the minors, she added.

The police will also file a chargesheet against the company, Kunhadi Circle Inspector Arvind Bhardwaj said.

Supplying smoking material and tobacco to minors is a serious offence and police, during investigation, will also take into account the company’s distribution network of prohibited items in other cities, he said Stock and supply registers, recovered from the company’s store, were seized for examination, he said.

The accused was produced before court on Sunday and sent to jail, the officer said.

A saint belonging to the Juna Akhara, residing in Shanti Bhavan located in the Kankhal police station area of Haridwar, was found dead, said the police on Sunday.

Manoj Nautiyal, Police Station Head, Kankhal Police Station while providing information about the incident, said that the police received information about the incident from Shanti Bhavan’s apartment in Haridwar.

“The saint around 70 years old identified as Sureshanand was found hanging from the flat in Shanti Bhavan’s apartment in Haridwar. He had been living in rent at the flat for the past 5-6 months,” said the official.

The official said that upon receiving the information, the police reached the spot, cut open the outer gate, recovered the body and sent it to the district hospital for a post-mortem examination.

“When we reached the spot, the gate was locked from inside. The fire service team and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team were called. Upon cutting open the door, we found a baba, approximately 70 years old and he was found hanging from a fan,” said the official.

The FSL team which was present at the scene collected evidence.

“Prima facie, it appears to be a suicide. He was a member of the Juna Akhara. The entire matter is being investigated,” said the police.

Further details on the matter are awaited.

Six people died and 22 others were injured when a bus fell into a ditch in Pauri Garhwal district’s Srinagar area on Sunday, officials said.

According to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the accident took place near Dahalchauri where the bus went out of control and fell into a 100-meter-deep gorge.

The bus, with 28 passengers on board, was en route to Dahalchauri from Pauri, they said, adding that five people died on the spot.

Local people also helped in conducting the rescue operation after the accident and the injured were taken to Pauri district hospital.

Eight of the injured have been referred to a higher health center in Srinagar in critical condition.

Pauri District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan reached the spot and conducted a speedy rescue operation under his supervision.

He has directed the officials of the Transport Department to investigate the causes of the accident.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed deep grief over the accident and also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Los Angeles Fire LIVE Update| California Fire Escalates, Death Toll Climbs To 16 | LA Wildfire News
A fast-moving wildfire, dubbed the Sunset Fire, broke out near the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday night, coming dangerously close to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The blaze is one of four major wildfires ravaging Southern California, which have claimed five lives, forced 130,000 evacuations, and destroyed communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena.

While winds subsided on Wednesday after hurricane-force gusts worsened conditions the previous day, the fires remain out of control. Firefighters from multiple states have joined efforts to contain the infernos, but the situation remains critical.

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US President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to discuss negotiations for a hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal, a US official said.

The call, further details of which are expected to be released later, comes as Biden pushes for a truce between Israel and Hamas before Donald Trump returns to the White House on January 20.

Tension gripped Chamarajapet area in the city after unidentified people attacked three cows, severing their udders.

According to police sources, the incident occurred at Vinayakanagar in Chamarajpet. The cows belong to a local named Karna.

Residents woke up to the distressing sounds of the cattle and found the injured animals lying in a pool of blood, sparking outrage in the locality.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he has directed Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda to investigate the case and take action.

Reacting to the incident, the BJP announced plans to observe ‘Black Sankranti’ if the government failed to take action.

“This heinous act reflects a Jihadi mindset. We will observe ‘Black Sankranti’ if the government fails to take action against the accused persons,” Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka told reporters.

He further stressed the cultural and religious significance of cows and bulls, which are decorated and worshipped during Sankranti festival.

“After this incident, how could we celebrate Sankranti?” Ashoka asked.

The BJP leader along with the party workers visited the spot and consoled the owner of the cows.

Several BJP leaders, including the Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and former Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan condemned the incident.

CM Siddaramaiah said he has instructed the police to take action against the culprits.

“I have spoken to the Police Commissioner. I have told him to take immediate action against the culprits. I have told him to find out those who did it,” the CM told reporters in Ballari.

He said he would ensure that whoever did it will be brought to book.

To a query on Hindu outfits staging protests, Siddaramaiah said they were trying to “politicise” the issue.

A case has been registered in connection with the incident, police said.

A 30-year-old blind woman died of burn injuries after she was allegedly pushed by her husband into a fire for dowry last month, police said on Sunday.

The incident occurred in Sarai Mishrani village in Gopiganj area, where Sushma, sustained severe burns last month and died on Saturday, police sources said.

Based on a complaint by her father, Ram Murat Gautam, an FIR was lodged against her husband, Raju Gautam, under sections 304B (dowry death), 498A (cruelty to a woman by her husband or his relatives) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act.

Efforts are underway to catch the accused, who is on the run, Circle Officer Chaman Singh Chawda said.

He said Sushma, from Kaudhar village in Suriyawan, was married to Raju Gautam (35) under the Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme on January 30, 2024.

Her family alleged that Raju, who had been married three times before and has two daughters from his previous marriages, was demanding cash and a motorcycle as dowry.

According to the FIR on December 13, 2024, Raju allegedly had his daughters light a bonfire and then pushed Sushma into it after an argument.

Despite her critical injuries, Raju did not seek medical help and later abandoned her at her sister’s home in Janaki Nagar, Prayagraj, on December 15, 2024.

Sushma’s family took her to multiple hospitals for treatment, but her condition did not improve. On Saturday, they brought her to the Gopiganj Community Health Centre, where she died during treatment.

Chawda said the body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and an investigation is underway.

A Virginia woman who lost her hand in a shark attack in Florida is crowdfunding for a prosthetic after her insurance denied coverage. Elisabeth Foley, 45, from Ashland, was critically injured in the June 7th attack.

“All of a sudden I looked behind me and saw this thing that looked like a torpedo,” Foley told Boston 25. She spent years in Massachusetts before moving to Virginia. “It was a huge mass.”

She attempted to kick at the shark, and that’s when she first felt the pain-the shark had attacked her lower leg, the Independent reported. 

Foley recalled reading about punching a shark to drive it away. As she began swinging, the shark dragged her underwater, and she feared for her life.  

When she resurfaced, she realised her hand was gone.  

The attack left Foley requiring extensive medical care, including the amputation of her left mid-forearm and treatment for injuries to her midsection. She spent 60 days in the hospital before finally returning home two months later.  

Despite her recovery, Foley continues to endure the aftermath of the attack. She has been advised to undergo multiple surgeries to repair nerve damage and reconstructive procedures.  

Now, medical experts recommend a myoelectric prosthetic hand-an advanced device that would enable her to perform more specialized tasks and regain greater functionality.  

Foley was set to receive her new prosthetic hand on Christmas Eve, but her insurance company reportedly refused to cover the costs, claiming the device was not medically necessary. The specific insurance provider was not disclosed.  

“It felt like a punch in the gut because I just want to get back to normal,” Foley told NBC Boston.  

Determined to move forward, Foley began fundraising and launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $73,000 to cover the cost of the prosthesis. As of Thursday, the campaign had reached 81% of its goal, with over $59,260 raised.  

“Elisabeth’s medical team has strongly recommended a myoelectric prosthetic hand, a specialized device that is powered by the residual muscles in the arm sending signals to the device which causes the prosthetic wrist and hand to perform specialized tasks,” the page read.

“Without this hand, Elisabeth faces a future marked by limited skills, stunted mobility and a diminished quality of life.”
 

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, who is seeking re-election from Kalkaji in next month’s Assembly elections, on Sunday hit out at her rival BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri for his alleged remarks on her family made last week.

In an interview with PTI Videos, Atishi also claimed that her crowd-funding initiative launched on Sunday morning generated Rs 17 lakh in donations within just 10 hours.

Atishi, who defeated BJP’s Dharambir Singh in 2020, said she will proceed to file her nomination for the February 5 polls at the district magistrate’s office after praying at the Kalkaji temple and at a gurdwara.

On her BJP rival’s recent remarks, Atishi said, “Bidhuri has shown his character. Within 24 hours of getting a ticket, he made an indecent comment on Priyanka Gandhi. In the next 24 hours, he abused me and my family from Prime Minister Modi’s stage at a rally.” At a ‘Parivaratan’ rally of the BJP in Rohini last week, Bidhuri targeted Atishi for dropping her surname and went on to say that she “changed her father”.

“Not a single BJP leader has said that Bidhuri was wrong, or asked him to apologise to Pryanka Gandhi or me (for his remarks),” Atishi said.

“This means the BJP supports Bidhuri’s indecent language and the abuses he hurled at women. Had they not, they would have said he was wrong and asked him to apologise to Priayanka Gandhi and me. But they did not do so,” she added.

Before targeting Atishi, Bidhuri had stoked a controversy by claiming that he would make roads which are like Congress leader “Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks” in his constituency, a comment for which he later expressed regret.

Atishi, who launched her crowd-funding campaign to contest the polls on Sunday, called the initiative an “example of honesty”.

“I need Rs 40 lakh to contest the polls which is .0005 per cent of the budget of our government. AAP is a party that never earned even a single penny dishonestly and that is why we still seek donations from the people to fight the elections,” she said.

The campaign launched at 10 am raised Rs 17 lakh by 8 pm in the form of small donations worth Rs 100 and similar amounts, which show the donors were commoners wishing to support AAP, she claimed.

“I hope the target will be met in coming days,” she said.

Amid BJP’s claims that AAP was helping illegal Bangladeshis and Rohingyas staying in Delhi to become voters to use them as vote banks, Atishi hit back by questioning the security on the borders under the BJP-led Central government.

“Amit Shah should tell from where these Bangladeshis and Rohingyas came. He is responsible for border security and stopping infiltration through the India-Bangladesh borders,” she said.

“How did the Rohingyas reach Delhi? What does it speak of the law and order and security arrangements if they managed to reach Delhi after crossing the borders and passing through many states. If Rohingyas have reached Delhi, only the BJP is responsible for it,” Atishi said.

Talking about her re-election bid from Kalkaji, she said the constituency was her “Karmbhumi” for the last five years where people considered her as their own “daughter and sister”.

Expressing hopes of getting the wholehearted support of the voters this time as well, Atishi said she developed the constituency by treating its residents like her own family.

The 70-member Delhi Assembly will go to polls on February 5. The results will be out on February 8.

Eight persons were killed and several others injured after a tempo and truck collided on Sunday at Dwarka Circle in Maharashtra’s Nashik district, a police official said.

The incident took place near an Ayyappa temple at 7:30pm, he added.

“There were 16 passengers in the tempo, which was on its way to CIDCO area here. They were returning from a religious event in Niphad. The tempo driver lost control of the vehicle and rear-ended the truck carrying iron rods. Some of the deaths took place on the spot. Some of the injured are critical,” the official said.

Rescue operations were started by police and fire brigade personnel along with residents and passersby in the congested stretch immediately, he added.

The injured are recuperating at the district hospital and in some private facilities, the official said.

There is likelihood of the death count rising since some of the passengers have sustained grievous injuries, police and health officials informed.

European foreign ministers will meet at the end of January to discuss the lifting of sanctions on Syria, the EU foreign policy chief said on Sunday (January 12, 2025) in Riyadh ahead of a meeting of top Middle Eastern and Western diplomats and Syria’s new foreign minister.

Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign policy chief, said the foreign ministers would convene in Brussels on Jan. 27 in an effort to decide how the 27-nation bloc would relax sanctions on Syria.

After 13 years of civil war, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad was ousted in a lightning offensive by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) a month ago. The group has since set up a caretaker government in Damascus.

Any European decision to ease sanctions would be conditional on the new Syrian administration’s approach to governing, which must include “different groups” and women and “no radicalisation”, Ms. Kallas said, without elaborating.

“If we see the developments going to the right direction, we are ready to do the next steps…If we see that it’s not going to the right direction, then we can also move back on this.”

Sunday’s (January 12, 2025) conference, the first such meeting of Western and regional leaders hosted by regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia since Assad’s ouster, comes as Damascus urges the West to lift sanctions to help international funding flow more freely.

The U.S., Britain, the European Union and others imposed tough sanctions on Syria after a crackdown by Assad on pro-democracy protests in 2011 that spiralled into civil war. But the new reality in Syria has been complicated by sanctions on HTS – and some leaders – for its days as an al Qaeda affiliate.

Several European countries pause processing of Syrian asylum claims

Germany, which is leading the EU’s discussion on sanctions, on Sunday (January 12, 2025) proposed allowing relief for the Syrian population, but retaining sanctions on Assad allies who “committed serious crimes” during Syria’s war.

“Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power, and we continue to help those in Syria who have nothing, as we have done all the years of civil war,” German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters in Riyadh.

She said Germany would provide a further 50 million euros for food, emergency shelters and medical care.

The United States on Monday (January 13, 2025) issued a six-month exemption of its sanctions for transactions with governing institutions in Syria to try to ease the flow of humanitarian assistance and allow some energy transactions.

Syrians celebrate month since Assad overthrown with revolutionary songs in Damascus

British foreign minister David Lammy joined the Riyadh talks along with ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, as well as the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen.

Discussions would focus on support for the interim Syrian authorities, “including mechanisms to hold the Assad regime to account for the war crimes they perpetrated against the Syrian people,” the U.K. foreign office said in a statement.

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Bangladesh’s foreign ministry on Sunday (January 12, 2025) summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma over border tensions.

In an official press release Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka, Foreign Secretary Ambassador Md. Jashim Uddin said the Government of Bangladesh had “deep concern“ over the recent activities of the Border Security Force (BSF) of India along the Bangladesh-India Border, to the High Commissioner of India H.E. Pranay Verma at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The development came hours after Dhaka alleged that India was trying to construct fences at five locations along the Indo-Bangla border, in violation of a bilateral agreement.

He said, “Such activities particularly the unauthorised attempt to construct barbed wire fencing and the related operational actions by BSF, have caused tensions and disturbances along the border.” He emphasised that the construction of barbed wire fences without proper authorisation undermines the spirit of cooperation and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries. He hoped that the upcoming BGB-BSF DG Level Talks would be able to discuss the matter at length.

Referring to the recent killing of a Bangladesh citizen at Sunamganj by BSF, the Foreign Secretary said the Bangladesh Government strongly resented these acts of killing and called for urgent action by the Indian authorities to stop the recurrence of such incidents and conduct enquiries into all these border killings and take actions against those responsible. He mentioned that it is also a matter of grave concern that despite repeated firm commitments from the Indian authorities to pursue a non-lethal strategy and to stop killings, such incidents of killing have been continuing.

He also called upon the Government of India to advise all concerned authorities in India to refrain from any provocative actions that could escalate tensions along the shared border.

India and Bangladesh: Fractured bonds along the border

Mr. Uddin also said, “Bangladesh believes that such issues should be resolved through constructive dialogue, in accordance with existing bilateral agreements, and in a way that upholds peace and tranquillity along the border.”

Mr. Verma was seen entering the ministry around 3:00 p.m. His meeting with foreign secretary Jashim Uddin lasted approximately 45 minutes.

While no official statement was released by the interim government regarding the discussions, officials confirmed that the envoy has been summoned.

(with inputs from PTI)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spent around six hours with young leaders, ten of whom gave presentations on various topics ranging from sustainable development to integrating technology with agriculture.

The Young India Leaders Dialogue was held from 10 am till 4 pm as part of PM Modi’s Viksit Bharat (Developed India) vision, aiming at the country’s development by 2047. “A developed India will be the one that is empowered economically, strategically, socially and culturally,” he added.

Around 3,000 young minds from across the country participated in these discussions, where Mr Modi also presented some ideas of his own. He also urged the youth to step out of their comfort zones to achieve these objectives. Achieving ambitious goals requires the active participation and collective effort of every citizen of the nation, he added.

PM Modi emphasised the need for setting big goals, citing the examples of US’s rise following the 1930s economic crisis and Singapore’s rise. He also cited examples of India succeeding in becoming an open defecation-free country, and the management of the coronavirus pandemic.

PM Modi urged the youth to become catalysts for change, drawing from the innovative ideas shared throughout the day.

The enthusiasm and optimism I saw also highlight the immense potential of our youth as changemakers driving the nation forward.

I also told my young friends that the ownership of this Viksit Bharat movement is with them and the success of today’s programme further cements it! pic.twitter.com/ZavG1UihYj

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 12, 2025

Discussion of ideas was also held during a lunch the Prime Minister held with the youth leaders, among them young girls from the North East region.

The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue aimed to break the 25-year-old tradition of holding the National Youth Festival in a conventional manner. The meticulously crafted, merit-based multi-level selection process was designed to identify and showcase the most motivated and dynamic young voices from across the nation. It included three stages with participants ranging from 15-29 years. 

The first stage, the Viksit Bharat Quiz, was conducted in 12 languages for youth from all states to take part. It saw the participation of around 30 lakh young minds. Qualified quiz participants progressed to the 2nd stage, the essay round, where they articulated their ideas on ten pivotal themes critical to realizing the vision of a “Viksit Bharat”, which saw over two lakh essays being submitted. In the third stage, 25 candidates per theme advanced to participate in rigorous in-person competitions.